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Greece join illustrious list

Sunday, July 4, 2004 by Kevin Ashby

Greece have become the ninth nation to win a UEFA European Championship following their 1-0 victory against Portugal in Lisbon.

Crucial Charisteas
Angelos Charisteas headed the only goal of the game 12 minutes into the second half as a typically disciplined display earned Otto Rehhagel's team - without a win in a finals tournament before their 2-1 success against the hosts in the UEFA EURO 2004™ curtain-raiser - a remarkable victory.

Europe's finest
Greece join Czechoslovakia (1976), Denmark (1992), Italy (1968), the Netherlands (1988), the Soviet Union (1960) and Spain (1964) in having won the competition once. France, eliminated here by Greece in the quarter-finals, triumphed in 1984 and 2000 while Germany have been crowned Europe's finest on three occasions.

Expanded competition
As West Germany they defeated the Soviets 3-0 in 1972 and Belgium 2-1 eight years later. The country had been reunified by the time Berti Vogts's men beat the Czech Republic 2-1 with a golden goal at EURO '96™ - the first final round to include 16 teams.

UEFA European Championship
Past finals, winner in bold
YearWinner
1960Soviet Union 2-1 Yugoslavia
1964Spain 2-1 Soviet Union
1968Italy 2-0 Yugoslavia
1972West Germany 3-0 Soviet Union
1976Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (5-4 pens)
1980Belgium 1-2 West Germany
1984France 2-0 Spain
1988Soviet Union 0-2 Netherlands
1992Denmark 2-0 Germany
1996Czech Republic 1-2 Germany aet
2000France 2-1 Italy aet
2004Portugal 0-1 Greece

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