Soccer News
'Rehhakles' fulfils his Herculean task
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| Members of the Greek team celebrate with the cup, 04 July 2004 at Stadio da Luz in Lisbon after the Euro 2004 final football match between Portugal nd Greece at the European Nations Championship in Portugal. Greece won 1-0 to be crowned champions of Europe. |
Arms a pumping, Greek coach Otto Rehhagel raced onto the pitch after Sunday's against the odds Euro 2004 triumph over hosts Portugal at the speed which would have done justice to a man less than half his 65 years.
Then the man known as 'Rehhakles', Greek for Hercules, stopped to embrace skipper Theodoros Zagorakis in the pair's hour of glory.
"This is a fantastic day for Greek football and for European football," said the 65-year-old.
"Today we played to our strengths and the Greek team has written football history here.
"There will be unimaginable scenes in Athens when we fly back on Monday," he added
Scolari apologizes to Portugal
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| Portugal's Brazilian head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari (L) and Portuguese defender Fernando Couto look dejected, 04 July 2004 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, at the end of the Euro 2004 final match between Portugal and Greece at the European Nations football championship in Portugal. Greece won the match 1 to 0 to be crowned champions of Europe. AFP PHOTO SORIANO/FIFE |
Portugal's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari apologized to the nation on Sunday after he failed to lead the country to victory in the final against Greece.
"It is difficult to accept, but we have to accept it. They play defensively. They won because they knew how to play well in that way," said the Brazilian.
"I want to apologize in the name of the entire team for not being able to give the final joy in this Euro campaign to all the Portuguese who have supported us."
Scolari would have become the first coach to win a European Championship and World Cup with different teams. He guided Brazil to the 2002 World Cup.
Rehhagel defends the underdogs
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| Greece's coach Otto Rehhagel celebrates, 04 July 2004 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon after the Euro 2004 final match between Portugal and Greece at the European Nations football championship in Portugal. Greece won 1-0. |
After masterminding arguably the biggest shock international football has known in its 150-year existence, Greece coach Otto Rehhagel played up the role of underdogs.
"The world has become a sitting room and people know what is going on everywhere. You only have to look at Latvia, and remember North Korea in 1966 when they beat Italy at the World Cup," the 65-year-old German strategist said after his team shocked hosts Portugal to win the European Championship.
"There have been good games and at the end came a surprise which is what the game thrives on," he told reporters.
Portuguese accuse Greeks of winning ugly
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| Portuguese forward Pedro Miguel Pauleta looks dejected, 04 July 2004 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon after the Euro 2004 final football match between Portugal and Greece at the European Championship in Portugual. Greece won 1-0 to be crowned European Champions. |
Portugal's shell-shocked players could not resist firing some barbs at their conquerers Greece, accusing Otto Rehhagel's side of boring their way to the title.
"It is regrettable that a team that does nothing but defend ends up as European champion," striker Pauleta moaned.
"If you ask me it is a strange way to play football but we cannot say we didn't know about it. They have played like that for quite a while now, with everyone behind the ball.
"You have to ask yourself if they can take any pleasure from playing like that but it seems they do," added Pauleta, who failed to score throughout the tournament.
Figo undecided on future
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| An unknown person runs onto the field and throws a towel at Portugal's captain Luis Figo (L) as he is chased by security, 04 July 2004 at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, during the European Nations championship final football match between Portugal and Greece. AFP PHOTO Vincenzo PINTO |
Portugal skipper Luis Figo remains unsure if his country's defeat by Greece in the Euro 2004 final would bring down the curtain on his international career.
"Now is not the moment to talk about that. I will make a decision but for now I just want to rest," said the 31-year-old Real Madrid midfielder.
It was a bad night all round for Figo as with five minutes remaining of the match a spectator ran onto the pitch and as he passed Figo threw a Barcelona shirt in his face.
Figo had caused a furore in Spain when he left the Catalan giants for their bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Greece win European title in monumental shock
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| Greece's forward Angelos Charisteas celebrates after scoring against Portugal, 04 July 2004 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, during the Euro 2004 final match between Portugal and Greece at the European Nations football championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Javier SORIANO |
Greece pulled off one of the greatest surprises in the history of football when they stunned hosts Portugal 1-0 to win Euro 2004 in Sunday's final in Lisbon.
Angelos Charisteas headed home the all-important goal from a corner with 33 minutes left to send Greece into euphoria and resign Portugal to a night of sorrow and regrets in a shocking result.
It was the third straight 1-0 win for Greece and third straight headed winner as Portugal joined the Czech Republic and France as beaten teams by Otto Rehhagel's all conquering team.
Pires and Henry had Euro bust-up
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| French forward Thierry Henry (L) heads the ball with England defender Ledley King, 13 June 2004 during their opening match at the European Nations football championships at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. France and England are competing in Group B with Croatia and Switzerland. |
French stars Thierry Henry and Robert Pires clashed during training in the lead-up to the Euro 2004 match with England, their former coach Jacques Santini has revealed.
The 52-year-old said that the Arsenal clubmates had come to blows just two days before the victory over the English.
"There were several such training sessions that had a highly charged atmosphere about them," the Spurs bound manager revealed.
When asked were the two players who had a fight with each other, Henry and Pires, Santini left no doubt as to their identity.
"You know well enough, the two players came from the same club," he said.
Desailly confirms international retirement
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| French defender Marcel Desailly answers journalists' questions during a press conference 24 June 2004 at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon during the European Nations Championships in Portugal. France will play its Euro 2004 quarter-final match against Greece 26 June in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO FRANCK FIFE |
French captain Marcel Desailly confirmed his retirement from international football on Sunday.
The 35-year-old World Cup and Euro 2000 winner made his 116th and last appearance for France in the 2-2 draw with Croatia in the first round of Euro 2004.
"I am putting an end to my international career with immediate effect," he told French television.
Of his performance in Portugal Desailly, whose imposing frame earned him the nickname 'the rock', reflected: "Yes, I'm less effective now but I compensate for that by my experience."
Rooney too expensive for United
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| England manager Sven Goran Erikkson (R) shakes hands with Wayne Rooney after he was substituted, 21 June 2004 during their European Nations football championship match against Croatia at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. Croatia and England are competing in Group B with France and Switzerland. AFP PHOTO PAUL BARKER |
Manchester United will not break the bank to buy Everton's teenage prodigy Wayne Rooney, chief executive David Gill claimed Sunday.
"One of the reasons we run a successful operation is because we operate within financial parameters," he explained.
"We cannot afford to spend 45 million or 50m dollars on one player."
"At the end of last season we identified the need to sign a striker - that was Alan Smith from Leeds," said Gill.
"We also identified a left-back - that was Gabriel Heinze. We have completed the task with those two signings.
Rui Costa to call it a day
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| Portugal's midfielder Rui Costa celebrates after scoring during the prolongations, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships quarterfinal match between Portugal and England at The Luz Stadium in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS |
Portuguese midfielder Rui Costa has said he will end his international career after Sunday's 1-0 defeat in the final against Greece.
"This will be my last game for the team. I will feel very emotional," said the AC Milan player.
"I am happy and if all goes well tomorrow I will go out on a happy note." The former Benfica and Fiorentina player scored Portugal's second goal in the quarter-final win over England.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has used the veteran of 93 international appearances sparingly at the finals, with an embarrassment of midfield riches at his disposal.