Euro 2004

The final turned out to be a keen contest between the nimble-footed Portuguese forwards and a gritty Greek defence which never showed signs of cracking, though Figo and his men's marksmanship left something to be desired. They had faith in collective, not individual strength. The Greeks did not have 'starlight' to find their way through the gruelling battle; but were inspired to put up the very best to make history, which they did with great determination.

The winning goal that the Greek forward Angelos Haristeas scored with a powerful header was in fact scored against the run of the play. The Portuguese must have been really surprised that they had to pay such a price for the first corner that they conceded after dominating the show for a long time. But that is what football is all about -- it's pointless to be in command of the game unless you can convert the chances into goals. The Portuguese lacked that lethal firepower, though the ball was on the Greek half of the field most of the time. Even the desperate attempts to break through the Greek defence in the last few minutes did not bring the goal that the hosts needed so badly. It was a sad ending for the Portuguese who, too, were looking forward to their first major success.

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The exit of the favourites does show that football is not a private preserve of a few top teams. More and more challengers are coming up and the game is getting enriched. Can you ask for anything more?