The final of Euro 2004 won't stay in the memory for the quality of the football on display, but will be talked about for years to come. Greece beat the hosts Portugal 1-0 to send the entire Greek nation into a mixture of shock and celebration. The Greeks had been to two previous European finals, where they lost five of the six group matches and drew the other, scoring once and conceding 14. So the bookmakers who offered 150-1 for a bet on them winning the championship thought they were safe. I wonder if anyone actually put money on them, even the Greeks?

So what makes the current Greek side so special? In a couple of words,Otto Rehhagel. Their German coach has taken decent, but mostly average players, and worked hard to mould them into a team which can frustrate more naturally gifted opponents, and take advantage of any opportunities that their opponents provide. So this evening, just as in the semi-final, the only goal of the game came from a Greek corner.

As the tournament progressed, the Greek team attracted a lot of admirers. Everyone likes to see the underdog rise above expectations, and you had to admire the players for working so hard. Their man marking was spot on, and even when one Greek player lost the ball, there was another close at hand to get it back. Quite simply, they were a team, in the way that the Dutch have never been.

As for the Portuguese, they didn't do too much wrong, but they didn't work as hard as the Greeks, and it looked as if the occasion had overcome them. While feeling sorry for the hosts, whose kind and warm people deserved a victory, I'm also pleased that the Greeks managed to maintain their discipline and win the trophy. It sends the right message to players and coaches - that with hard work and discipline, any team can win a trophy, however much the bookies and pundits might say it's not going to happen. And that can only be good for football at every level.

11:20:24 PM