| During the 2004 summer, my home country,
| |
| | everyone felt the need to celebrate again
|
| Greece had the privilege to be the
| |
| | and again their enormous success. For
|
| protagonist in two extremely important
| |
| | many critics, extremely important, if not
|
| and prestigious events in the nation's
| |
| | more than the players' efforts, was the
|
| sports history; the EURO 2004 Soccer
| |
| | presence of Mr. Otto Rehhagel, the German
|
| Championship and the 2004 Olympic Games.
| |
| | coach of the Greek national soccer team,
|
| In the EURO 2004 Soccer Championship, the
| |
| | who managed to become the most familiar
|
| National Soccer Team of Greece gained the
| |
| | and friendly face in the Greek public
|
| title as the new European Soccer
| |
| | surpassing the fame and status of all of
|
| Championship and by hosting successfully
| |
| | his Greek soccer colleagues. His
|
| the 2004 Olympic Games, has proven to the
| |
| | management style, his personality and his
|
| world that it can surpass even the
| |
| | persistence, became a new national anthem
|
| wildest expectations of its critics.
| |
| | for Greeks, who have made his profile the
|
| When Theodoros Zagorakis, the Greek
| |
| | modern icon for an ancient Greek god.
|
| national soccer team captain, lifted the
| |
| | In this particular meaningful sport
|
| Cup of the EURO 2004 Championship, every
| |
| | event, every Greek felt like their
|
| Greek, all over the world, felt proud to
| |
| | support was projected in the field and
|
| belong to this nation. It is difficult to
| |
| | their presence felt by the players,
|
| describe the overwhelming feeling
| |
| | influencing every result in the series of
|
| everyone felt that night when the Greek
| |
| | the games played, reaching its peak
|
| soccer team managed to defeat the
| |
| | during the final. From the known myths of
|
| national Portuguese soccer team in their
| |
| | sports, the 12th man was the classic
|
| homeland, at the national stadium in
| |
| | illusion that promoted the spectators'
|
| Lisbon, with a single goal. That hot
| |
| | wishing, screaming and cheering. The
|
| summer evening, every Greek, man or
| |
| | eleven contemporary heroes of the Greek
|
| woman, child or elder, was viewing the
| |
| | national soccer team extended Greece's
|
| most anticipated game in the Greek sports
| |
| | political culture to its undiscovered
|
| history. The strong heartbeat everyone
| |
| | limits and cultivated the publics' belief
|
| felt that night was one of the most
| |
| | in the 'hidden star-quality' that could
|
| important moments in every Greek's life.
| |
| | illuminate once again everyone's life, as
|
| Soccer is still the beloved sport of
| |
| | long as opportunity evolves and timing is
|
| Greece and with this unexpected result
| |
| | right. These eleven stars, won a distinct
|
| soccer has managed to overcome social
| |
| | place in the hearts of every Greek,
|
| obstacles of age, politics and gender,
| |
| | transforming themselves to role models,
|
| shaping a new game identity. Nothing
| |
| | resembling to the fame and prestige of
|
| similar has ever happened to Greeks.
| |
| | ancient warriors. From the battlefields
|
| Nothing as powerful, as that single
| |
| | of this European Soccer Championship,
|
| scream of joy, has ever in the
| |
| | this team's perseverance, effort and
|
| contemporary Greek sports history, united
| |
| | consistency, played the most crucial role
|
| so dynamically this nation. For days
| |
| | in the turnout. Thus, the Greeks will
|
| after this accomplishment, Greeks were
| |
| | value every minute of those athletes'
|
| still unable to believe the outcome of
| |
| | accomplishment, in many years to come.
|
| their national soccer team's efforts and
| |
| |
|
