UEFA Euro 2004

UEFA Euro 2004
Tournament	UEFA European Championship
Year	2004
Host	Portugal
Dates	12 June – 4 July 2004
Teams	16
Venues	10
Champions	Greece
Runner-up	Portugal
Matches	31
Goals	77
Attendance	1,052,433
Top scorer	Milan Baroš (5)
Player	Theodoros Zagorakis

UEFA Euro 2004 was the 12th edition of the UEFA European Championship finals contested by senior men's national teams of UEFA. Hosted by Portugal from 12 June to 4 July 2004, the tournament featured 16 teams in ten venues across eight cities. The competition produced a series of notable upsets, culminating in Greece's unexpected triumph over the hosts in the final, a victory that resonated across European football and spawned analysis from commentators and historians.

Background and qualification

The bidding process saw Portugal selected over bids from Spain and joint bids by Austria and Switzerland, building on Portugal's experience from hosting under-21 tournaments and infrastructure developed for 1994 FIFA World Cup era projects. Qualification involved groups drawn under UEFA auspices; national teams such as France, Germany, Italy, England, and Spain negotiated fixtures across home-and-away rounds. Prominent players like Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, Milan Baroš, Andriy Shevchenko, and Ruud van Nistelrooy featured in qualification campaigns, while smaller associations including Faroe Islands and Malta sought to improve rankings. The final list of 16 qualifiers included automatic hosts Portugal, returning contenders such as France and debutants like Bulgaria.

Teams and squads

Each national association submitted a 23-man squad approved by UEFA medical and competition committees. Notable squads featured veterans and emerging stars: Portugal included Luís Figo, Rui Costa, and Cristiano Ronaldo as a young prospect; Greece fielded a disciplined unit led by captain Theodoros Zagorakis and coach Otto Rehhagel. Defending pedigree came from France with Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, while England depended on David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney. Goalkeeping pedigrees featured Iker Casillas for Spain and Petr Čech for Czech Republic. Managers of note included Luiz Felipe Scolari for Portugal, Marco Tardelli for Italy, and Eriksson for England.

Venues and match officials

Matches were staged in stadia including Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Estádio do Dragão in Porto (though Estádio do Dragão was completed later, venues included Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, Estádio Algarve in Faro, Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, and Estádio Municipal de Aveiro). Refereeing panels comprised officials from across UEFA: referees such as Pierluigi Collina was not active at this tournament, but other prominent referees included Graham Poll, Massimo De Santis, and Konstantin Irmatov representing their national associations and officiating knockout fixtures. Assistant referees, fourth officials, and UEFA match delegates coordinated match operations in collaboration with Portuguese Football Federation and local organizing committees.

Tournament format and draw

The competition retained the 16-team format with four groups (A–D) of four teams each; the top two from each group advanced to quarter-finals under single-elimination rules. The final draw, conducted according to UEFA seeding principles and co-operation with national associations, placed teams into groups that produced high-profile group stage matchups such as Portugal vs Spain, England vs France, and Greece vs Spain. Tiebreakers followed UEFA regulations including head-to-head results, goal difference, goals scored, and disciplinary points. Extra time and penalty shoot-outs resolved draws in knockout ties, with formats governed by the IFAB laws of the game as implemented by UEFA.

Group stage

Group A featured hosts Portugal alongside Greece, Spain, and Russia, with Greece recording a surprise victory over Portugal and drawing wider attention. Group B included France, England, Croatia, and Switzerland; notable was England's progression despite competition from France and Croatia. Group C involved Germany, Latvia, Czech Republic, and Netherlands—matches showcased talents like Milan Baroš and Petr Čech. Group D paired Italy, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Sweden, producing tightly contested fixtures and tactical battles under coaches such as Marcello Lippi and Lars Lagerbäck.

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals eliminated several favourites; Greece progressed with disciplined defending and set-piece conversions, while Portugal advanced amid home support. Semi-finals saw Greece overcome Czech Republic and Portugal defeat Netherlands in dramatic fashion, setting up the final in Lisbon. The final against Portugal ended with a 1–0 scoreline courtesy of a headed goal from defender Angelos Charisteas following a free-kick delivery, sealing Greece's first major international title and shocking observers across European football and international media.

Statistics and awards

Top goalscorer honors went to Milan Baroš with five goals; other leading scorers included Angelos Charisteas and Zinedine Zidane contributors to their nations' tallies. Theodoros Zagorakis received the Player of the Tournament award for leadership and midfield performances. The tournament produced 77 goals across 31 matches, and disciplinary records, assist tallies, and goalkeeper clean sheets were recorded under UEFA's statistical protocols. Greece's victory earned widespread recognition with championships and national honors, while tactical analyses compared Otto Rehhagel's system to perennial pragmatic approaches in European football coaching literature.

Category:UEFA European Championship tournaments Category:2004 in association football Category:International association football competitions hosted by Portugal