Gallery

A Danish supporter with the colours of his country painted on his face holds his team's banner, 14 June 2004 at Henriques stadium in Guimaraes, as he is waiting for the beginning of the Euro 2004 group C football match between Denmark and Italy at the European Nations championships in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Vincenzo PINTO

Denmark know the winning feeling after lifting Euro92 and this fan belives in his team's chances for 2004. Italy provide first match opposition.

Two Italian supporters with the colour of their country painted on their faces pose, 14 June 2004 at Henriques stadium in Guimaraes, as they are waiting for the beginning of the Euro 2004 group C football match between Denmark and Italy at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Sven NACKSTRAND

Italian hopes will be sky high as the football mad nation chase their first major title since the 1982 World Cup. With a squad littered with talent, Italy are one of the tournament favourites and kicked off against Denmark on Monday.

Spanish football player Fernando Torres kicks the ball during a training session at Falperra Hotel 14 June 2004 where Spain team prepare their Euro 2004 nations championships against Greece. AFP PHOTO/ Javier SORIANO.

Spaniard Fernando Torres, one of the rising young talents in today's game, shows textbook skills in training on Monday. Spain got off to a flyer by beating Russia in their opener and now prepare to face Greece on Wednesday.

The French team celebrate after French captain Zinedine Zidane (3rd R) scored the equaliser against England, 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 players and fans can hardly believe their perseverance paid such high dividends after they stunned England with two injury time goals to seal a classic clash 2-1.

French captain Zinedine Zidane (L) scores France's equaliser against England, 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.

Zinedine Zidane fires home an injury time equaliser for France after they had trailed England for 53 minutes. He was to add a penalty winner two minutes later.

French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez saves a penalty taken by England's David Beckham, 13 June 2004 during their opening match at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon for the European Nations football championships. France and England are competing in Group B with Croatia and Switzerland. AFP PHOTO Francois Xavier MARIT

Fabien Barthez pulled off a stunning penalty save from England's David Beckham to keep France in the frame before they overhauled England's lead to win 2-1.

French fans celebrate with a cock after beating England 2-1, 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.

France supporters often take a cockrel, a national symbol, to soccer matches, and it is their fans who will be doing the crowing after stealing a late 2-1 win over England in Lisbon on Sunday.

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.

England threw rookie defender Ledley King up against Thierry Henry in Lisbon on Sunday, he did rather well too though France ran out 2-1 winners.

French defender Mikael Silvestre (L) tries to tackle England's Darius Vassell, 13 June 2004 during their opening match at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon for the European Nations football championships. France and England are competing in Group B with Croatia and Switzerland. AFP PHOTO Francois Xavier MARIT

France's 2-1 win over England was a rough but fair match with 16 English Premiership players on the pitch. Only five yellow cards were shown.

French fans are seen, 13 June 2004 prior to 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.

These two France fans were dressed up in old fashioned garb at the match against England on Sunday.

English fans are seen in the stands, 13 June 2004 prior to 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 Switzerland and Croatia. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS

There were 30,000 England fans at Lisbon's Stadium of Light to cheer on their team against France on Sunday, many of them festooning the stands with the English Cross of St George flag.

Switzerland's forward Hakan Yakin vies with Croatia's defender and captain Boris Zivkovic (L) 13 June 2004 at Pessoa stadium in Leiria, during their Euro 2004 group B football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV

With a crackdown on hard tackling in modern football shirt pulling is an ever increasing problem. Swiss forward Hakan Yakin is lowering the standard here. The match against Croatia ended in a 0-0 draw.