Portugal’s Euro 2004 campaign, hosted on home soil, was a tournament of emotional highs and lows under manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Drawn into Group A with Greece, Spain, and Russia, Portugal began with a shocking 2-1 loss to Greece. They rebounded with a 2-0 victory over Russia and a critical 1-0 win against Spain, courtesy of Nuno Gomes, to top the group.
In the quarter-finals, Portugal faced England, where Rui Costa and Hélder Postiga starred in a dramatic 2-2 draw, with Portugal prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout. The semi-finals saw Cristiano Ronaldo and Maniche lead Portugal to a 2-1 win over the Netherlands, securing their first-ever major tournament final.
However, Portugal’s dream ended in heartbreak as they faced Greece again in the final. Despite dominating possession, a headed goal by Angelos Charisteas secured a 1-0 victory for Greece, leaving Portugal as runners-up in one of the biggest upsets in European Championship history.
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