Euro 2024: A Fixture to Evoke Memories of Epic Upset

France vs Greece

Now this Euro 2024 qualifying contest is one which immediately takes me back 20 years.

It was summertime in Lisbon and France, world and European champions in 1998 and 2000 respectively, were overwhelming favourites to progress to the semi-finals of that year’s European Championships.

In their ranks were the likes of the mercurial Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram, Thierry Henry and Claude Makelele.

In the other corner was Greece, rank outsiders and a squad comprising hitherto unknowns.

In fact, I bet most of you do not remember the likes of Kostas Katsouranis, Antonis Nikopolidis, Theodoros Zagorakis or Stelios Giannakopoulos – the latter (as a Bolton man) I used to love!

However, they turned out to be part of a Greece vintage we are unlikely to see the likes of again.

In the end, a powerful second-half header from Angelos Charisteas stunned France in a 1-0 shock as Greece went onto be crowned champions of Europe.

The tall striker had something of a nomadic existence post-Portugal, leaving Werder Bremen for Ajax and then spending time with Feyenoord, Nürnberg, Bayer Leverkusen, Arles, Schalke, Panetolikos and Al Nassr.

Yet in many ways, none of that mattered for he was at the forefront of a fortnight which stunned football and, even after knocking France out, the most memorable moment of an international career spanning 88 caps and featuring 25 goals was still to come.

Nine days later he headed the winner in the Euro 2004 final to secure his and his country’s place in the history books.

Back to today and Greece will be rank outsiders once again but, if 2004 has taught us anything, surprises do still happen so perhaps they can deliver some Euro 2024 qualifying highlights in the Parisiens’ backyard.

Talking Points

Now, just like then, the current France vintage is also a bit special.

World champions in 2018, runners-up last December by the narrowest of margins and with the quite brilliant Kylian Mbappe in their ranks.

He became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final since England’s Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966, netting a quick-fire double – just 97 seconds apart – to take the game into extra time where he added another against eventual winners Argentina.

His eight goals took his total tally of World Cup goals to 12, becoming the youngest player to reach double figures in the competition.

In the process he joined Brazil’s Vava and Pele, West Germany’s Paul Breitner and Zidane as the only players to score in multiple World Cup finals.

Now captain of his national team, and fresh from another successful domestic campaign where he shone, despite the struggles of his club side at times, he was on target again as they eased to a qualifying win over Gibraltar on Friday night.

In a dominant win over the minnows (they also struck the woodwork four times), that maintained France’s 100 per cent record after three games in Group B.

Greece have a 100 per cent record too, in fairness, and made it two victories out of two by seeing off the Republic of Ireland.

An Anastasios Bakasetas’ penalty gave them the lead in Athens before Giorgos Masouras’ 49th-minute strike proved to be the winner.

A positive result in Paris and they will have a big boost to their hopes of qualifying for a European championships for the first time since 2012.

But lightning doesn’t usually strike twice, does it?

History

That quarter-final shock remains one of only two Greece victories over Les Bleus and the most recent.

In fact, given the first came in an A v B friendly game in Athens in 1957, it really is the only competitive time they have seen off their much-vaunted counterparts.

It is certainly the most important too as the other games were all friendlies or qualifiers.

France have won 13 of their clashes with a further four draws.

Their first four meetings came in the Mediterranean Cup in the early 1950s, three of which France won by a solitary goal.

France have won nine of their most recent 10 games, including when they last met in a friendly in 2006.

On that occasion in Paris in November 2006, Henry netted the only goal of the game.

Betting Tip

As you would expect, France are the overwhelming favourites with the SBOTOP Euro 2024 qualifying betting odds.

You can back them all the way to victory 1X2 @ 1.21 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 1.86.

Greece are well adrift of that, both 1X2 @ 8.25 and Asian Handicap +1.75 @ 2.98.

Even for Greece to lead after the opening half appears a big ask with First Half 1X2 @ 6.80.

A rare draw between the sides is on offer @ 5.80.

The last two matches have both been won with a solitary goal so it may be worth assessing total goal 0-1 @ 4.40 and 2-3 @ 2.01, as well as under 2.75 @ 2.12. As it stands, though, my *** tip is total goal 4-6 @ 2.59.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.