The main topic before the match between Portugal and Czech was if Tomas Rosicky would play with his injured Achilles tendon. If anyone played football, he knows what kind of pains leader of Czech team was suffering from. He left for Prague, saw his private doctor, but during the second half fans were waiting for him in vein. He did not stand up from the substitute chair and even did not warm up.  Milan Baros was also injured but in spite of this he could play. Without this duet it is impossible to imagine Czech’s improvisation. The main trump of Czech team was determination. But it is not enough against Ronaldo and his teammates. This match was the seventh match for me I attended at this championship, but I saw the whole match first time, because my duty was to control 200 photographers. I was standing at the corner of the field and I could watch the match from there very well. It was quite clear that the Czech were trying to endure the match and do their maximum in extra time…David Limbersky’s two attacks were memorable for me, as for Portuguese, Ronaldo was distinguished- the guys were playing football!
Before starting the match I was controlling how photographers were working, I looked at VIP tribune and at once noticed – Eusebio and Figo were sitting together. Figo was wearing red t-shirt of Portuguese national team. When we see such Georgian star veterans at VIP tribunes, who will come for supporting their team…
The match ended and as everyone expected that Ronaldo would be named as the player of the match, he was named. Davor Suker awarded him with special prize of “Carlsberg”. Before that Ronaldo and Nani gave several interviews. As for the Czech, only once was heard applause, Milan Baros declared to guys and he was going to retire, everyone stood up and clapped hands for a great football player and man. Rosicky who was angry that he could not play due to injury did not say the same in the dressing room, but after returning in Prague he made the same decision.

Then I was working in mixed zone, where were working about 200 journalists. You should pay special attention when player approach the bus, because it is not excluded some players to injure, when so many people approach spectacles.

I was working on it and suddenly Eusebio appeared! Such giant player was laming in journalists’ zone! His appearance here was excluded because the door is special for journalists. As it cleared up, he had congratulated Portugal in the dressing room and then asked security service to take him to the car with short way and they offered this way. But imagine reaction of the journalists when they saw Eusebio. Minimum 100 journalists circled him and were giving questions.. the zone was close from the second side and Eusebio also agreed them for a while. But security service started worrying and when they saw me in uniform asked me to help them in finding exit… I took a side spectacle and pushed it, I stood between Eusebio and journalists and accompanied Eusebio.. there was little space but he used it as well as he did it in 60s years on the field. Soon he disappeared, it was not excluded he to fee l bad due to so many journalists who were standing around him. Afterwards I continued my duty..
 

Mamuka Kvaratskhelia media officer of UEFA, special for “Worldsport.ge”, from Warsaw
Photos by Authors