Portugal have landed
Thousands of supporters welcomed the Portugal squad to Switzerland on their arrival at Geneva airport on 1 June, with a cavalcade of motorcycles following the team bus to their training base in Neuchatel, where an estimated 10,000 more were waiting to greet the players. EURO2008 had arrived.
Frei's tears
The image of an injured Alexander Frei in tears and out of the tournament before the half-time whistle had blown in the co-hosts' opening game summed up their campaign – no luck, little to cheer and over before it had begun. Austria at least survived until their final Group B match, though for the first time at a European Championship there was no host nation in the knockout phase.
Buffon saves
Italy were staring elimination in the face when Romania's Adrian Mutu ran up to take a penalty late in the Azzurri's second Group C game. Gianluigi Buffon, though, stuck up a hand to deflect the shot on to his boot and away to safety as Italy survived to fight another day. The brilliant Buffon would eventually be upstaged by Iker Casillas as Spain triumphed in the quarter-final shoot-out.
Oranje boom
The Netherlands fans were simply fantastic, turning first Berne then Basel orange. There were reportedly 90,000 in Basel for their quarter-final against Russia, who brought the party to an abrupt end at St. Jakob-Park. It is not just the Dutch who deserve special mention though: the Czech Republic's solid block of red, Sweden and Romania's yellow and Croatia's red-and-white hordes were just some of the supporters to leave a colourful mark on the competition.
Singing in the rain
Not even the monsoon conditions in Switzerland during the first ten days' play could dampen the excitement. Like the co-hosts, the pitch at St. Jakob-Park did not last the distance, though it stuck around long enough to give Köbi Kuhn's team their one spot of luck in the tournament. Against Turkey, Eren Derdiyok's cross was stopped by a puddle in the goalmouth and Hakan Yakin was on hand to complete the simplest of finishes.
Late drama
Arda Turan would go on to win that match for Turkey when he scored two minutes into added time. It was the first of three incredible recoveries from Fatih Terim's side, Nihat Kahveci stealing the show – and the points – against the Czech Republic then Semih Şentürk scoring with the last kick of the game to force penalties against Croatia in the quarter-finals. "There is something special about this team," mused Terim.
Great goals, great games
After a quiet start to this European Championship, the Dutch got the party going with their 3-0 rout of Italy on the third day. Wesley Sneijder epitomised the Oranje's verve and vitality, setting up the first goal and scoring a stunning second that set a standard which has largely been maintained since.
Raging bull
David Villa had Spain fans thinking this could finally be their year with a hat-trick in the 4-1 victory over Russia. It was the first treble scored by a Spanish player at a European Championship and just the eighth ever. Yet it was as much how they were scored as the goals themselves – the Valencia striker's confidence, pace and vision setting Spain apart as a team with genuine title credentials.
Master tactician
After losing their first-pick forward to injury then being beaten by Spain, a lesser side than Russia might have buckled. But coach Guus Hiddink dusted his players down, defeated Greece then Sweden, before dumping out his compatriots in the quarter-final with one of the displays of the tournament. Hiddink's teams may change but the victories just keep coming.
Changing of the guard
Champions Greece were not the only ones bidding an early farewell as the likes of Lilian Thuram, Edwin van der Sar and Robert Kovač all retired from the international game once their countries went out. The next generation had already announced themselves: stand up Luka Modrić, Andrei Arshavin and Wesley Sneijder.
