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    Reliving Greece’s Iconic Euro 2004 Win: A Football News Update on Euro 2024, Champions League, and More

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    TOPSHOT - Greece's midfielder Georgios Karagounis (C) holds the cup with his teammates, 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 championship in Portugal. Greece won the game 1-0. AFP PHOTO SORIANO/FIFE (Photo by SORIANO/FIFE / AFP) (Photo by SORIANO/FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

    Football News Update: Euro 2024, Champions League, FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations Standings, Premier League, EFL Cup, EFL Championship, EFL One, EFL Two, and FA Cup

    The 2004 European Championship remains one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition. Greece, listed as a 150-1 shot to win the tournament and never having won a single match at a major competition before, stunned the football world by progressing to the final, where they defeated hosts Portugal 1-0.

    Greece’s Incredible Journey

    Stelios Giannakopoulos, a familiar face for English fans from his time at Bolton Wanderers, has recalled the incredible journey. “We didn’t go there to win the tournament, and that’s why we won it,” he tells FourFourTwo. “We weren’t big-time players; we weren’t prima donnas. We went to enjoy the tournament.”

    After an opening defeat to Portugal, Greece were able to draw with Spain and then beat Russia to claim a place in the quarter-finals, where they dispatched world champions France 1-0. “The quarter-final was when we started to think something special was possible,” Giannakopoulos adds.

    The victory in the final at the Estádio da Luz stunned the home fans and gave the Greeks a moment they will never forget. “Yes, there was silence among the home fans,” Giannakopoulos recalls. “For us, though, it was a golden moment; a priceless moment.”

    Unfortunately, Greece will not have the opportunity to repeat their heroics 20 years on, as the team did not qualify for Euro 2024. Their last appearance at a major tournament was the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

    Looking Ahead

    In other football news, the road to the Euro 2024 final in Germany is heating up, with several teams jockeying for position in the qualifying rounds. The Champions League has reached the knockout stages, with Europe’s top clubs vying for the prestigious trophy. The 2023 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, are also on the horizon.

    Closer to home, the Premier League, EFL Cup, EFL Championship, EFL One, EFL Two, and FA Cup are all providing plenty of excitement for fans across the country. The Africa Cup of Nations standings are also being closely watched, with teams battling it out for continental glory.

    Fans of the beautiful game have plenty to look forward to in the coming months, as the football calendar continues to deliver thrilling action and unforgettable moments.

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