Greece greets Euro champions

ATHENS, Greece — Europe's new soccer champions returned to a heroes' welcome Monday as hundreds of thousands of partying fans lined the streets to greet them, and Greece's spirits soared five weeks before the Aug. 13-29 Olympics.

Supporters — still hoarse from wild nightlong celebrations — roared "Bring on Brazil" as the European Championship winners headed toward the all-marble Panathenian stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896.

When the team entered the stadium to the blaring music of "Zorba the Greek," fireworks exploded.

"This is a great moment of joy," said Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis, who traveled to Lisbon to watch Greece beat Portugal 1-0 in Sunday's final. "I am sure this (feeling) will peak at the Olympic Games."

More than 100,000 people in and around the stadium sang the national anthem as they awaited the Greek team and German coach Otto Rehhagel on a bus followed by thousands of motorcycles blaring their horns.

The coach, who has been offered Greek citizenship, sat holding the cup at the front of the bus, which slowly made its way through a sea of flares and Greek flags on the 22-mile route from the airport.

National colors of blue and white were draped over the city, over balcony rails, flapping out car windows, painted onto faces, tied around pet dogs and made into hats, T-shirts, champagne labels and cake decorations.

Angelos Charisteas' winning header against Portugal was shown all day on giant outdoor television screens — the moment that sealed Greece's remarkable three-week run past the hosts, Russia, Spain, France and the Czech Republic.

"Thank you for making the dream come true," sports minister Giorgos Orfanos said. "Welcome champions of Europe. You have made us all proud."

Olympic officials are hoping the victory will boost ticket sales for the games. With fewer than half the 5.3 million tickets sold, organizers hope the European title will lure Greeks to stadiums.

"This is truly the best passport, the best invitation for the Olympic Games," Caramanlis said.

The victory, he added, "gave a lesson of what we can achieve as Greeks when we really believe in something, are united and have self-confidence, dynamism and the method to pursue it."

Greeks have in recent months become exhausted with Athens' often delayed preparations for the games, which have for months led to endless traffic jams in the capital.