Midfielder

Everyone knows what Portugal produces the most. Apart from wingers, there are wingers. Since Eusebio, center forwards have been isolated from Portugal.

But when Scolari threw Simao and Ronaldo on the two wingers, their sprints really gave the Greeks a headache when defending.

However, no matter how rampant the wingers were, it was impossible to rely on them to cut into the penalty area from the two ribs to solve the problem. Greece's defense was not given for nothing.

Even if these guys were rough at footwork, their strong bodies and indomitable stamina made them like a group of beasts guarding the goal.

Ronaldo's small physique was knocked all over the place by these Greek tough guys, and he rolled and crawled, but the referee's whistle did not sound at this time.

This made Ronaldo and the Portuguese players express their dissatisfaction to the referee more than once, but the German referee Merk ignored it.

This made the Portuguese host hint that Rehhagel was also a German during the broadcast, intentionally or unintentionally, and the meaning was self-evident.

A German head coach and a German referee, anyone with a little bit of brains would think of something bad, "Conspiracy! Conspiracy! The conspiracy of those politicians in UEFA!" Such roars began to sound in the Stadium of Light, which made the UEFA officials sitting in the VIP seats very embarrassed.

In fact, there is no conspiracy, because the referee's matches are almost all arranged. After all, no one knows that Greece can make it to the final.

Even if you let an old guy like Rehhagel predict all this, he will tell you that he can't think that the Greek team can play in the final.

All this is just a coincidence, but when Portugal fell behind, these things were all ignored, and the fans would rather believe that they were black-handed.

Maybe this is another psychological comfort for them. At least they dare not believe the score on the big screen. It all seems like a nightmare.

The Portuguese did not give up the attack. They still tried to break through again and again, trying to open a gap in the Greek team's defense.

But the rampage on the wing required a high point in the middle, but Portugal could not find the one who could threaten the goal. Pauleta had long been drowned in the Greek defenders. Grabbing the ball? That was just a dream. Even if Scolari replaced Gomez, he could not change this embarrassing situation.

It can be said that the always calm Scolari had given it his all in the final stage of the game. He even left only two defenders and the rest of the players attacked.

The crazy forward pressure was not ineffective. At least the Greek team did not organize any counterattacks, but the football never had a chance to fly into the Greek team's goal.

In the middle, the middle closest to the goal, Scolari could not find a key to unlock it, although he piled up Figo and Deco on the court.

These two people are very technical guys. Whether it is Figo or Deco, they are the soul core that a team needs most.

Each of them can be independent, and it is difficult for one or two people to successfully steal the ball under their feet, but such a game is not decided by one or two people. What Portugal needs most now is the kind of particularly coherent interspersion, not giving the Greeks the opportunity to press closely.

Although the two guys have strong individual combat capabilities, Figo is not Lin Yi after all. Apart from a few cross passes, the interaction between him and Deco is almost without any telepathic running and involvement, let alone any exquisite cooperation. It feels like a mess.

Both of them are fighting on their own. This kind of tacit understanding cannot be formed in a day or two. Porto can play with two cores, but Portugal may not be able to do so.

Although both Figo and Deco claimed that there was no problem in cooperation between them, the final game has explained everything.

In the early games, the Portuguese team did not encounter such a stubborn defense, so this problem has not been fully exposed.

The crowd of Greeks in the midfield is enough to cut off this kind of passing method that lacks depth. The Portuguese lack the ability to penetrate.

Rui Costa's pass was sharp, but his age and speed disadvantages made it difficult for this talented organizer to get rid of those who entangled him.

Moreover, the pass sent by Rui Costa was wasted again and again by clumsy guys like Pauleta in completely irrelevant shots.

I really don't know if Scolari, who was sitting in the coaching seat, would have a little regret at this time. He left the sharpest knife in the stands.

At this time, the TV broadcast camera intentionally or unintentionally swept over where Lin Yi was sitting. Perhaps those reporters were also reminding Scolari of his mistakes in this way, but Lin Yi did not show any expression on his face. He just watched those Greeks constantly destroying with their big feet.

And the time of the game slowly slipped away in such a big foot destruction, leaving the Portuguese fans in the audience with only despair.

In fact, Lin Yi was very anxious now, especially when he saw that his old partner Deco had no way to pass the ball in time when he got the ball in the frontcourt, he was also very annoyed.

But that damned old Brazilian had a grudge with Mourinho just because of an unimportant friendly match, which affected him.

"Fuck this damn game!" When the game reached the 85th minute, Lin Yi cursed fiercely and turned away.

At this time, Lin Yi didn't care whether there was a broadcast camera to see this scene. Anyway, he couldn't sit in the stands calmly.

When he saw Gomez hit Deco's pass again, Lin Yi knew that Portugal had lost the chance to win this game.

Even Deco hugged his head with a frustrated look when the shot flew away, not to mention the others, whose confidence was leaving them.

Before Lin Yi left, all he saw on the big screen was the confusion and unwillingness in Figo's eyes, but exhaustion made them unable to continue running.

The glory of the golden generation was gradually dimming. They burned their last bit of energy, but their legs began to slow down.

They were old, and Figo was no longer the world footballer who was in charge of Barcelona. He alone could not change the final result.

Everyone was fighting hard, but when their attacks hit the opponent's hard defense again and again, victory and honor began to become increasingly slim.

When Mourinho watched Lin Yi walk away, he did not leave immediately, but just sat there and looked at the anxious Scolari on the sidelines.

"If I had known this, why did I do it in the first place?" Mourinho is not a person who likes to laugh at others, but he has no good feelings for the old Brazilian man.

Sacrificing the interests of the team to maintain their dignity, this kind of idiotic behavior can only be done by some people who verbally claim to be tough.

For this, he sacrificed a European Cup championship. I really don’t know if the old man will feel regret now. He fell to the place closest to the championship.

When the referee Merk blew the whistle to end the game, the whole of Portugal fell into silence. They missed the championship trophy again.

And this time it was on their own land. When God was on their side, they actually lost to a group of rough Greeks.

The European Cup is a place where miracles happen, but no one thought that twelve years after the Danes wrote their own fairy tale, another fairy tale would be staged.

Even the Greek fans who came from afar couldn't believe what was happening in front of them. They even forgot to cheer at the end of the game.

They won? A group of Greeks who were just playing soy sauce won the final championship? This is even more amazing than Jesus' resurrection after three days of death.

This is the reality. The game is over and the score is fixed at 1:0. It is a helpless but unchangeable ending. It is so cruel.

Rehhagel may be the biggest name in the entire Greek team, but it is this tough German who has created the most magical fairy tale story this summer.

The 24-year-old Charisteas is just a substitute striker for Bremen. Before the start of the European Cup, he half-jokingly said that if the Greek team can make it to the final, then he will choose to retire. It is such a person who is not surprising anywhere, who created the miracle of the dark horse.

Just three goals, but each is worth a thousand gold. France, Spain, and Portugal have become the innocent dead souls under the high-altitude bombing of this big man.

One goal is enough. This goal has made Charisteas and his Greek myth written into the history of the European Cup from this moment on.

Rehhagel opened his arms and embraced his players. The Greek mythology bloomed with its magnificent colors on the land of Portugal.

Portugal can only leave one footprint in the history of the European Cup. They lost the game at their doorstep, with the advantage of the whole game.

The Portuguese used their greatest generation of outstanding players to serve as a foil for the opponent's enthronement, leaving only the tears of Figo and others for the fans.

The gorgeous dance steps stopped twisting at this moment, the glory of the golden generation dimmed at this moment, and the unwilling tears flew in the air.

This may be the weirdest award ceremony in the history of the European Cup, because there was almost no cheering in the entire Stadium of Light, and more sobbing. Many Portuguese female fans stood in their seats, looking at those familiar people with tears, and walked to the side of the stands to bow to the surroundings.

Once, twice, waving, greeting, Figo, Costa, these names that the Portuguese often talk about, are making their final farewell.

They are old, their era has passed, this time, at the closest place to the trophy, they lost the best chance, this is life.

An imperfect ending. From this moment on, Portugal's golden generation is entering people's memory, leaving only memories.

Greatness will eventually be buried. Perhaps this is the silence before the phoenix nirvana. I hope...

(I would like to use this chapter to mourn the golden generation that ended... and I wish everyone a happy 2011...)