GERMANY: PORTUGAL STUNS THE WORLD BY WINNING THE BID TO HOST EURO2004 SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Record ID: 636765

  • Title: GERMANY: PORTUGAL STUNS THE WORLD BY WINNING THE BID TO HOST EURO2004 SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
  • Date: 12th October 1999
  • Summary: AACHEN, GERMANY (OCTOBER 12, 1999) 1. ANNOUNCEMENT/TROPHY FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2. PORTUGUESE BID STAFF REACTION/PORTUGUESE FANS OUTSIDE HALL WAVE FLAG 3. EUSEBIO AND CARLOS CRUZ HUG 4. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) EUSEBIO, PORTUGUESE FOOTBALLER WHO PROMOTED CAMPAIGN SAYS HE'S VERY HAPPY FOR HIS SECOND COUNTRY (HE WAS BORN IN MOZAMBIQUE) 5. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) CARLOS CRUZ, DIRECTOR OF PORTUGUESE CAMPAIGN SAYS HE'S ON CLOUD NINE 6. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) JOSE SOCRATES, PORTUGUESE MINISTER OF SPORT, SAYS WE HAVE FOUR YEARS TO BUILT THE STADIUMS AND GROUND TO MAKE THE CHAMPIONSHIPS THE BEST EVER 7. (SOUNDBITE)(SPANISH) GERALDO GONZALES SECRETARY GENERAL OF SPANISH SOCCER FEDERATION SAYS HE ACCEPTS THE RESULT, BUT NOT THE REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS 8. (SOUNDBITE)(GERMAN)TONY POLSTER, AUSTRIAN FOOTBALLER INVOLVED IN BID, SAYS WE HOPED THE EURO2004 WOULD GIVE AUSTRIAN SOCCER A BOOST, NOW WE WILL HOPE SOMETHING ELSE CAN BE DONE TO PROMOTE THE GAME 9. (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) SANDER BERZI, SECRETARY GENERAL OF HUNGARIAN SOCCER FEDERATION SAYS HE'S DISAPPOINTED BY THE DECISION AS IT MEANS TWO YEARS OF WORK HAS COME TO NOTHING, BUT HE CONGRATULATES THE PORTUGESE 10. PORTUGUESE FANS CHANT OUTSIDE HALL Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th October 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AACHEN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA6E3W5UF1N5G2DPUF7YYY98PNW
  • Story Text: Portugal scored a stunning footballing victory off the
    field when it won the contest to host the 2004 European
    Championship finals.

    The UEFA decision dismayed representatives of Spain and
    Austria/Hungary with the announcement.Portugal was the least
    fancied of the candidates according to most observers.

    Portuguese delegates hugged and cheered on Tuesday
    (October 12) in the hall in Aachen where the decision was
    announced by UEFA president Lennart Johansson.

    Eusebio, Portugal's most famous player who has worked as
    an ambassador for the bid since 1997, cheered as if he had
    scored a winning goal with the rest of the Portuguese
    delegation.

    "It is absolutely fantastic," he said afterwards, "I have
    worked hard for this for 18 months and there were three great
    bids involved.

    "But I always had a feeling we could do it.I feel like I
    did when Benfica won the European Cup in 1962 and I scored
    twice.Portugal is a small country -- but everyone loves
    football."
    The Portuguese bid was based on the simple slogan "We
    Love Football."
    Portuguese minister of sport Jose Socrates said his
    country had four years to built its stadiums and make the
    championship the best ever.

    Johansson said afterwards that although the decision may
    have come as a surprise to many, the Executive Committee voted
    unanimously to award the tournament to Portugal after a
    glowing report from the 2004 inspection committee.

    "Even though some of the stadiums have yet to be built,
    they were convinced the Portuguese bid was the best.

    "As far as I am concerned, it was not a question of Spain
    having had everything recently and Portugal having nothing.It
    was simply a case of voting on the organising committee
    recommendations -- otherwise there is no point in having one."

    The Spanish delegation appeared stunned by the decision.

    Spanish football association general secretary Geraldo
    Gonzales said he accepted the decision but not the reasons for
    it.

    Tony Polster, Austrian footballer, said he had hoped the
    2004 championships would have given Austrian football a
    much-needed boost.

    The Hungarian football assocation secretary general Sander
    Berzi said he was disappointed by the decision but offered his
    congratulations to Portugal.

    The biggest football tournament Portugal has hosted was
    the World Youth Cup in 1991.

    Portugal are planning to use 10 stadiums -- three of which
    are not yet built -- in Braga, Aviero and Faro, and two which
    are to be re-built in Oporto and Lisbon.

    Benfica's Stadium of Light is one of five stadiums to be
    extensively renovated in a massive rebuilding programme funded
    by the government.

    The decision completes four great days for Portuguese
    football.On Saturday they beat Hungary 3-0 to take their
    place in the Euro 2000 finals as the best runner-up from the
    qualifying competition.


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