Nikopolidis recalls Greece's EURO miracle
Friday, July 4, 2014
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"Greek people can work miracles when they act as a team – that's what we did," Antonios Nikopolidis told UEFA.com as he looked back on Greece's UEFA EURO 2004 triumph.
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Ten years on, it is still a shock; Greece beat host side Portugal 1-0 in the final of UEFA EURO 2004, having defied the odds at every stage under coach Otto Rehhagel.
"The main reason European people remember this achievement is because no one believed – and still can't believe – that the Greek national team won the EURO tournament," goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis told UEFA.com. "Maybe this was the greatest miracle of our century in terms of football history."
A solid and disciplined defence was seen as key to Greece's triumph – with Nikopolidis keeping clean sheets in all three of his nation's knockout stage matches. Enormous credit also went to their German coach. Nikopolidis recalled: "He brought together a group of people, Greek people, and as you know Greek people can work miracles when they act as a team. That's what we did – a miracle. A great miracle, I could say."
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