Sometimes you are touched by grace. In an instant, a match or a competition. This week we’re tracing the story of five players who outperformed for a short period of time. The second episode of our series traces the journey of Angelos Charisteas, the symbolic player of Greece crowned European champion in 2004 to everyone’s surprise.
Zidane’s first international retreat. The tears of Cristiano Ronaldo. Two headsets blows can do damage. Two simple heads but unimaginable repercussions. On July 4, 2004, Portugal plans to hold its European advent. At home, in an Estádio da Luz which only has eyes for the troupe of Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Seleçao das Quinas must embrace its destiny and become a magnificent European champion.
Pauleta, Deco, Luis Figo and the prodigious 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo are the favorites for an unbalanced final on paper. Yet another protagonist will tour the world: Angelos Charisteas. The man who brought down the title holder in the quarter and the host country in the final. The attacker that no one had really seen coming. And that everyone will let go to a much more anonymous daily life.
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The fourth man from Werder Bremen
The story of Charisteas begins with the story of an average Bundesliga striker. After having proved itself in the local championship, the big center-forward – by the size (1.90m) – seduced Germany, where a certain Jan Koller (2.02m) caused a sensation with Dortmund. The Greek landed at Werder Bremen in 2002. Under the orders of Thomas Schaaf, the German club is growing at high speed. The pre-Euro season is also a spectacular double Bundesliga-German Cup that the Wolves win .
What about Charisteas? He’s only the fourth man. In front of him, the Brazilian Aiton who finishes top scorer of the championship, Ivan Klasnic and Nelson Valdez. We are far, very far even, from the cream of the avant-centers of the time, from Henry to van Nistelrooy and the prodigy Wayne Rooney who will undoubtedly animate the Portuguese Euro. At the end of his first two German seasons, Charisteas presents however very honest stats for a fourth choice: 72 matches for 22 goals. But the dynamics are clearly negative with an end of the championship punctuated by sporadic entries into play and a shortage of four months.
The Werder bench, the daily life of Angelos Charisteas before Euro 2004
Getty Images Credits
We have known better as a preparation. But a man will believe in the fate of Charisteas. A certain Otto Rehhagel, the charismatic and demanding Greek coach. Since his arrival at the head of the Hellenic selection, the German has continued to insist, sometimes very directly, with his players: they have nothing to envy the best. It’s from him that everything starts.
“He didn’t play much for Werder Bremen, will remind the technician after the Greek coronation. I had to talk to him, encourage him and convince him that he was capable of great things. I always believed in him. And he ended up proving me right to become a star of this Euro“On this point, it is difficult to prove Otto II wrong.
Charisteas and Micoud’s Revenge
Aligned alongside Zísis Vrýzas in the ultra rigid 4-4-2 erected by Rehhagel, Charisteas starts piano for the inaugural match against the master, Portugal. But he sees his Greece already marking the competition with its imprint: a very low defensive wall, a rigor to any test, possession of the ball systematically for the benefit of the opponent and counter assassins. The Helvetians spoil the first of the Portuguese (1-2). They will also spoil the last one.
In the meantime, Charisteas has set out. It is thanks to him that the blue and white troop snatches a saving draw against Spain (1-1) to secure qualification for the quarterfinals. Control of the chest and recovery of the left. Simple. Basic. But terribly effective. A leitmotif for these Greeks.
Comes from France, holder of the title. The fiasco of 2002 is still in the tricolor heads. But, in the minds of many French people, the opponent is too small to be worried. After all, Zidane returned to him almost alone, the English in the group stage. So, Greece … It’s hard to imagine Jacques Santini’s troop getting their feet in the carpet. But these Blues are messy, almost lethargic.
65th minute: Bixente Lizarazu throws himself, Theódoros Zagorákis is alone to adjust a perfect center. From the height of his 90 meter, abandoned by the hinge Sylvestre-Thuram, Charisteas catapults the ball into a skylight. A magnificent head for a mystified Barthez. Zinedine Zidane therefore leaves the tricolor selection on a pitiful failure, a defeat against Greece intended to be crunched in the semi-final. Finally, this is what we believe.
Fabien Barthez can only see the damage: the head of Charisteas is perfect
Getty Images Credits
The height of humiliation for Jacques Santini, he was even beaten by the Greek hero of the day. After his goal, the number 9 went to the French bench and simply raised his jersey so that the French coach can read a simple name: Micoud. Because in Bremen, Charisteas is fascinated by the talent of the French playmaker who dominates in the Bundesliga … but who has been sidelined for this Euro. In addition to being a national hero, he is also a hell of a club mate. “Johan will never forgive Jacques Santini for having shunned him, he will explain afterwards. The morning of the match, he called me to … urge me to score a goal. As the latter became that of our qualification, I had to fill it beyond all expectations“.
Eternal whim, inexorable fall
The sequel to Charisteas is an end in apotheosis. In the half, his team ends up overcoming an exciting Czech Republic but which will come up against the same problem as the Blues: this defense with three stoppers and this 3-5-2 which takes more the contours of a 5-3 -2. Enough is enough and Dellas, thanks to a … silver goal, sends the Helvetians into the final.
The rest of the story, you know it. As against the Blues, a center from the right, in this case a corner from Angelo Basinas, a somewhat lax central defense, poor anticipation from Ricardo and a blow of the helmet to seal the most beautiful hold-up of the history of the Euro. These Greeks are European champions and Charisteas rises to the rank of demigod.
“I have to admit that I watched this goal a few times by chance, when it appeared on TV, he explained to UEFA in 2016. When I do it mentally, I feel like I’m completely alone in the box, with no opponent around. I think about this goal a lot, especially when things go wrong. It rekindles me and helps me bounce back psychologically. Because even in 50 years, everyone will remember that I scored the goal that allowed Greece to be European champion“.
But can an iconic goal be enough to (re) launch a career? At the time, he seemed to be convinced of it and, inflated to the full, evoked the continuation just after the coronation of his family. “On a personal level, this Euro will have polished my credit, then assures Charisteas. I will return to the club with the conviction that I will now be considered the first striker. No offense to Klose and Klasnic, my new competitors“. Spoiler: this will not be the case.
Charisteas and its historic goal against Portugal
Imago credits
From Zlatan’s successor to Arles-Avignon’s ball
Because the Klose-Klasnic pair will quickly get everyone to agree by stacking the pawns (36 together between them over the season). And Charisteas has no choice but to go into exile. At the start of 2005, he faced a challenge: taking over from Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the forefront of Ajax’s attack. The beginnings are encouraging, without being overwhelming. In two seasons, he finds his way to the nets 15 times. Too little for the Dutch club which wants to grow its young shoots Huntelaar or Babel. Here he is transferred to Feyenoord on the last day of the transfer window.
His season is honest (10 goals) but insufficient in the eyes of the club which decides to sell it off the following summer. Almost three years to the day after its heyday, Charisteas joined FC Nuremberg by the back door and for a small sum (2.5 million euros). It’s the beginning of a long inexorable fall to the exit. At 27, he struggled to win in Nuremberg and was loaned to Bayern Leverkusen. A fiasco. Between 2008 and 2010, he found the nets only 4 times. Or one goal less than his total between 2010 and 2013 where he stops the costs.
Meanwhile, he offered Arles-Avignon his most legendary flop. Six matches played, no goals scored, a game time shared with Benjamin Psaume and Yann Kermorgant, an injury after a heel-footing and above all an epic friendly match against Istres where he is reported 8 times offside. Then come Schalke 04, Panetolikós and Al Nasr Riyadh where he will wander like a soul in pain.
In club, Charisteas will never have been unanimous. But in selection, he will have assumed everything. When the crampons were finally put away, the Greek saw the imprint left in the “Pirate Ship”. Second top scorer in the history of the squad (25 goals), he will forever remain the Lisbon man. The one who rose higher than everyone else to bring his country to the top. Eternal in its own way.
Angelos Charisteas and the Euro 2004 trophy
Imago credits
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