2004 UEFA Euro Championship, Portugal
The 2004 UEFA European Championship, commonly known as Euro 2004, took place in Portugal from June 12 to July 4.
flags of Portugal and Greece at the start of the Euro 2004 final The tournament format featured 16 teams divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals. Group A included Portugal, Greece, Spain, and Russia; Group B comprised France, England, Croatia, and Switzerland; Group C had Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and Bulgaria; and Group D featured the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, and Latvia.
This tournament is particularly remembered for Greece's unexpected and historic victory. Greece, under the management of Otto Rehhagel, emerged as champions despite being 150-1 outsiders before the tournament started. They defeated Portugal 1-0 in the final at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, with the lone goal scored by Angelos Charisteas in the 57th minute.
Greece's path to the final was remarkable, as they defeated the defending champions France 1-0 in the quarter-finals and overcame the Czech Republic with a silver goal in the semi-finals. Portugal's journey to the final included victories over Spain, England, and the Netherlands.
Trivia
- In 2004, Latvia became the first (and so far only) Baltic team to qualify for a European Championship
- This victory, Greece's first major international title, was also the the lowest-ranked team (at 35th in the FIFA rankings) to ever win a European Championship.
Related Pages
- UEFA Euro Home
- UEFA Euro Host Countries List
- UEFA Euro Winners List
- UEFA Euro Trivia
- The Year in Sport: 2004
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