20 YEARS FROM GREECE’S WIN OF THE EURO 2004

The UEFA European Football Championship, better known as the Euro, is held every four years since 1958 and is the primary tournament of Europe’s national teams. Greece first qualified for the event in 1980, reaching the quarter-finals. In the Euro 2004, hosted in Portugal between 12 June and 4 July 2004, the Greeks made a dynamic start, beating the hosts in the opening game. Knocking out the favourites in a string of surprise victories, Greece reached the final, to meet once again the Portuguese.

In a breath-taking match, Greece won 1-0 and were crowned European champions. On their return home with the trophy, the players and coach Otto Rehhagel received an enthusiastic welcome by an unprecedented crowd. Greece’s win was a great victory that put the country on the map of world football and, along with the Athens 2004 Olympics, marked the summer of 2004 as a milestone in modern Greek sport history.