Football's most sensational upset dramatically came true in a stunned Lisbon when 100-1 outsiders Greece were crowned kings of Europe, writes John Gibson. The no-hopers, previously the joke of global football, defied every piece of logic to sweep aside France, the Czech Republic, and hosts Portugal twice to do what England and other great soccer powers couldn't do. And coach Otto Rehhagel, laughed out of his own country Germany after being sacked by the legendary Franz Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich, was the architect of a stunning fairytale set of results. While Germany left Euro 2004 humiliated after the group stages, Rehhagel, who had great success with provincial clubs in his homeland, swept to the ultimate prize and began a groundswell of public opinion wanting him to succeed Rudi Voller as national coach. "It's amazing," beamed King Otto as the Greeks have dubbed him. "We have through football united Greeks all over the world - something which politics has never been able to do. "We have worked hard for three years for this one result and it has been thoroughly deserved. It was a great achievement for Greece to even qualify for the finals but we've ended up champions." Pressed on his own future Rehhagel significantly refused to be drawn. "Now is the time for the team," he responded. "We'll celebrate this victory together. This is no place to talk about the future. "Football throws up many surprises and we are the surprise of this tournament." I've travelled the world reporting football but have never witnessed anything so unexpected as this dramatic triumph by Greece. Their fans wept tears of joy at the end. One had stood in front of me for the whole 90 minutes bare chested and regularly kissing the cross round his neck in prayer. When Greece scored their press men in the stand leapt up overjoyed and kissed one another. In the press conference afterwards, when Rehhagel walked in the room, a couple of Greek hacks were so overcome they unfurled the national flag and waved it enthusiastically in the air. Stunned Portuguese looked on in disbelief. "I'm so very glad we've caused so much happiness," said the victorious coach. "Greeks exaggerate in joy as in sadness but we've no objection as people are already rushing to the airport in Athens to wait for us! Greece's skipper Theodoros Zagorakis, who was voted man-of-the-match after a dramatic 1-0 victory over Portugal, played 78 games for Leicester between 1998 and 2000 before going home to join AEK Athens. "No words can describe how I feel," enthused a man who was so lonely at Leicester he used to hang out with Greek students on the local university campus. "We've proved the Greek soul is alive and that's the greatest gift God gave us. "You can only imagine what our dressing-room is like. This victory is for Greeks all over the world. We've given them more than joy - we've given them pride and hope for the future. "My mind was a blank when I went up for the cup. All my dreams had come true. As soon as we made the knock-out stages every game was a cup final for us and we won every one." | 
