Following the heroic and electrifying match between Greece and Russia on Saturday night, where Greece won by 1-0, and in a press conference afterwards with foreign correspondents, the coach of the Greek national soccer team Fernando Santos proved to be more of a Greek in spirit than your average citizen in Greece. The coach, frustrated by the way the other delegations have been treating the Greek national soccer team, said that his team, and Greece deserve respect and the world should not underestimate them.
More precisely, when a correspondent asked him what inspired (s) his team, Santos said his team (and especially himself) is inspired by Greece's history. Santos, who is Portuguese then said the incredible: "the Greeks have great pride and they deserve respect. Everyone must respect them. History democracy, science, values -- it all started in Greece." And while the people of UEFA asked him not to respond (or continue responding) to the question because of its political nature... Santos looked at the reporter and firmly said... "nobody should give us lessons"!
Greece, winning for the first time at Euro 2004, went through as Group A runners-up and will play the winners of Group B in the last eight. The Greek national team will now face Germany in a politically charged quarterfinal that might just bring the financial crisis onto the field at Euro 2012.On his part, Santos played down the possibility of drawing inspiration from Germany's tough budgetary line with Athens.
For the great victory over Russia, Santos said that the Greek national soccer team is proud that it was able to give joy to all Greeks. "God was beside us and helped us to reach the quarterfinals. It was a matter of concentration, which we lacked in the first two games, but we had a clear plan and implemented it. The players gave me everything and then some. I told them that I have absolute confidence in them. The team's character always comes to the surface in these critical type of games."
Concerning the quarterfinals, Santos said: "we must cleanse our minds, to keep our feet on the ground and prepare for the quarterfinals. We will do our best in the next game."
Meanwhile, Midfielder and team captain Karagounis, winning his 120th cap to equal the record for his country, literally punished the Russian team for a flurry of missed chances when he scored against the run of play deep into first-half stoppage time. The goal was bittersweet for Karagounis (who Greek fans call Pappoy) because he is now going to be suspended for the quarter-final after a second-half yellow card shown for diving. "That's not fair," Karagounis told the press. "They should check the video."
Νonetheless he said that the "moment is pure magic for all of us. This night is very important, it is something important for Greece for all Greeks. We said we would give it all, despite all the difficulties and we scored at exactly the moment we needed to. Now it is time to celebrate."
In Athens, and following the game, thousands of people that were overjoyed with the win poured onto Omonia square (in central Athens) waving Greek flags, lighting flares and setting off firecrackers amid the din of hundreds of honking cars.