SWITZERLAND: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Turkish, Portuguese football fans prepare for opening Euro 2008 match

Record ID: 335237

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: SOCCER/FOOTBALL - Turkish, Portuguese football fans prepare for opening Euro 2008 match
  • Date: 8th June 2008
  • Summary: ZOOM OUT FROM A "EURO 2008 - GENEVA" FLAG TO A TRAIN ARRIVING FROM THE AIRPORT AT GENEVA CITY TRAIN STATION THREE TURKISH SUPPORTERS GETTING OFF THE TRAIN WITH TURKISH FLAGS HANGING IN THEIR BACKS, THEN (SOUNDBITE) (French), SUPPORTER SAYING TO THE CAMERA: "Three - two!"
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9K85JWOB4GALPTNICN920QGIJ
  • Story Text: Football fans in Geneva prepare for the second match of the day as Euro 2008 opens in Switzerland.
    Turkish fans arrived in Geneva on Saturday (June 7) to support their team's opening Euro 2008 match against Portugal, former tournament hosts and runners-up.

    "Three - two!," announced confident Turkish supporters as they stepped onto the train station platform in Geneva.
    But Portuguese community members had other ideas, putting on their traditional suits and hoped they'd be singing victory songs later in the day.

    "We'll win," said Portuguese supporter George.

    "We hope we'll win," added his fellow fan Christina as the pair of folk musicians soaked up the atmosphere in Geneva's Fan Zone.
    Both estimated a 2-0 victory for Portugal.
    Geneva's Plainpalais fanzone is ready to welcome up to 40,000 supporters who are expected to watch the game on screens that stretch 60 square metres wide.
    A total of 31 games will be played in eight stadiums over the next 23 days and there is no shortage of favourites.
    Euro 2008 kicks off with two group A matches. Co-hosts Switzerland first face the Czech Republic at 1600 GMT while Portugal take on Turkey at 1845 GMT.
    Portugal is the uncontested one of Group A, with the top striker of the English Premiere League, Cristiano Ronaldo leading the squad.
    Portugal reached the final in 2004 when they hosted the tournament and could win this one with talents such as Chelsea's Carvalho and Barcelona's Deco backing Ronaldo.
    Turkey hopes to be the surprise team of the group, as it was during the World Cup in 2002, in Japan and South Korea where the team reach the semi-finals. They failed to qualify for 2004's Euro and the World Cup in 2006.
    The 13th European Soccer Championship kicks off tonight, with Switzerland
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