Belgrade, September 25th 2005: Greece is the new European Champion 2005 in basketball!

Late Sunday thousands of people gathered in Athens' Omonia Square to celebrate the European basketball championship title that Greece won for the second time, after the victory against USSR in 1987. Fireworks lit the Athenian sky, while the fans chanted the national anthem and celebrated the remake of last year’s victory when Greece won the European soccer title.

As compared to the dramatic semifinal against France, when Greece was behind by 7 points just 63 seconds before the end, in the Belgrade final the Greeks used good teamwork, solid defense and strong outside shooting. They lead from the first three minutes to the end of the game. The result was a categorical 78-62, opening the way for the next year’s World Championship in Saitama (Japan).

With this championship, Greece accomplished what many considered unimaginable. Lacking even a single NBA player on its roster, it outplayed Russia, France and Germany and their top stars -- Andrei Kirilenko, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki, respectively. "Greece Shocks Europe and Wins 2005 Euro Basket Gold," announced the astonished organisers of the competition, FIBA Europe. On this historical occasion, Panaiotis Yannakis becomes the first in Europe to win a basketball gold medal both as a player and as a coach.

Kiev, Ukraine, 21 May 2005: Greece Wins Eurovision Song Contest. See you in Athens next year!
Helena PaparizouHaving first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, this year Greece won the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest with the composition "My Number One", performed by Helena Paparizou, music Hristos Dantis, lyrics Hristos Dantis and Natalia Germanou. President Yuschenko handed over the trophy, made of pure gold, to emotional Helena.

Malta's Chiara finished a strong second place, followed by Luminita Anghel & Sistem from Romania.

At the press conference, Helena Paparizou thanked the song composers, choreographers, dancers and Greek Tourism Ministry, as an ambassador of the Greek tourist industry. Congratulations, Helena !
   
 
August 2004- Athens Olympic Games: Solid Infrastructure and Psychological Lift.
The huge operation of staging the spectacular show for the Athens 2004 open ceremony, on August 13th, is nearing completion and every official involved in this giantic task has his or her own full agenda.

Athens 2004 president Gianna Angelopoulou will seek to capitalize on the success of the Olympic Games, given that she became more famous than any of her predecessors.

The efforts of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and his administration are ment to project Greece as a country that can live up to extraordinary challenges. The government also attempts to exploit the infrastructure projects to make up for the huge price tag.

NATO is present at these Games. The alliance seems to have found a new global mission, as terror threat will

  

probably be around for years to come.

After months of refurbishment works, Syntagma Square was officially reopened. The square has been repaved with white marble with a rough, non-slip finish, while trees, two water cascades and two cafes.have been added

The recent introduction of new means of public transportation like the tram and the suburban railway, together with the extension of existing networks, has encouraged people to leave their cars at home and try out these new facilities.

As a result of these tremendous energies set in motion on this historic occasion, the Olympic Games may be said to have given Greece not only good and solid infrastructure, but also a psychological lift.

 
Euro2004, 4th July 2004: The Greek National Football Team Wins The European Title.
Euro2004, 4th July 2004.
The ancient Greece had 12 gods. The modern Greece has 11. Ethniki Ellados, Ya Sou!
The Summer Of The Greeks.

Athens: 3rd July 2004.
Maybe the French or Czech football teams were, technically, more sofisticated, but Greeks had something special - "pathos", which means passion, will to win. "Pathos" is the balance between instinct
and spirit, "pathos" is the thin line between talent and genius.
In the Greeks chests dances something like a powerful light, like a demon, which has the strength and energy to transform outsiders into champions.
This is why the Greeks, who gave humanity democracy, philosophy, the word "chaos", Akropolis and Olympic Games, will win again tomorrow, in Portugal.
Their "pathos" brought them the golden medal before Athens 2004 Olympic Games will start.
THIS IS THE SUMMER OF THE GREEKS!

  


Latest Hour: Mr.George. Sensational!
A week ago, Akropol.net received an unusual e-mail from a person who is interested in bioenergetics and gave us, in advance, the correct results of all the Greek football team.

Today, he contacted us again, saying that tomorrow Greece will beat Portugal.

This person wants to be called Mr.George and you can contact him at mrgeorge@akropol.net.
 
 

IT'S MAGIC! The Greek National Football Team Reaches the Finals! National Delirium!

Euro2004, 1st July 2004.
A magical goal from Greek defender Traianos Dellas eliminated the Czech Republic at the semi-final stage.

In the past, Czechs learned much from Kafka, now they took a lesson from the Greeks, who gave humanity the tragedies. In the finals Greece will meet Portugal.

All over the country, Greeks live an endless national fiesta! Let's join them!
 
Good Luck to the Greek National Football Team!
Euro2004, 29th June 2004.
The Greek national football team will face the Czech team, on Thursday, 1st July, at 21.45.

We wish our champions, from our hearts, good luck!

May the long-built value sparkle again, to give us another occasion to celebrate!

Boys, make us proud again!


 
 

This historical moment is the result of discipline, hard work, commitment and organisation and coach Otto Rehhagel is the architect of Greece low-profile team.

We all congratulate Greek football players for their unique passion to win. Boys, we're pround of you!
See you in the finals!

Match info:
Greece: Antonios NIKOPOLIDIS, Giourkas SEITARIDIS, Traianos DELLAS, Angelos BASINAS, Theodoros ZAGORAKIS, Angelos CHARISTEAS,
Themistoklis NIKOLAIDIS, Panagiotis FYSSAS, Mihalis KAPSIS, Georgios KARAGOUNIS, Konstantinos KATSOURANIS. Coach Otto REHHAGEL
France: Fabien BARTHEZ, Bixente LIZARAZU, William GALLAS, Claude MAKELELE, Robert PIRES, Zinedine ZIDANE, Thierry HENRY,Mikael SILVESTRE, Lilian THURAM, Olivier DACOURT, David TREZEGUET.Coach Jacques SANTINI
Referees: Anders Frisk. Assistant Referees: Kenneth Petersson, Peter Ekstrom.Fourth Official: Stuart Dougal
The Greek National Football Team Crushed the French Team. Who's Next?

Euro2004, 25th June 2004.
After a spectacular match, Greece won France and reached the semi-finals. A splendid goal by Angelos Charisteas, minute 65, sent Zidane's fellows out of the
competition.

The triumph was the cause for mass celebrations in the streets in Athens and Thessaloniki. Greeks abroad, from Australia to the USA, reportedly hit the streets to celebrate. In Athens, tens of thousands of people converged on the central Omonia Square, Stadiou and Panepistimiou Streets, all night, and revelled until the early morning hours. Downtown Athens came to a virtual standstill immediately after Greece victorious goal and all the Athenians were very enthusiatic.Cars honked their horns, blue and white flags were seen throughout the capital and people from all the generations have gone crazy with joy. This superb party announces, in a way, the beginning of the Athens Olympic Games.
 
   


 
Helena Paparizou Helena Paparizou - photos