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Racism, drugs hit soccer
Meanwhile, the grind of year-round soccer seemed to wear down the stars, national teams and clubs.
Greece and FC Porto made it a great year for underdogs.
Never having won a game in a major championship, Greece overcame 100-1 odds to win the Euro 2004 title.
And 50-1 outsider Porto — not Real Madrid or AC Milan — won the Champions League.
The surprises weren't necessarily a great advertisement for the world's most popular game.
The grind of year-round soccer seemed to wear down the world's biggest stars and weaken the most powerful national teams and clubs. Greece and Porto were tough to beat, rather than great entertainers.
Off the pitch, the picture was even less uplifting.
Racist chants, corruption and match-fixing stained the game, while two stars received lengthy doping-related bans. A bomb threat in December forced the evacuation of Real Madrid's 70,000-seat Santiago Bernebeu stadium, bringing a stark reminder of the threat of terrorism.
Racism marred a so-called friendly in Spain, where fans bellowed monkey chants at England's black players. Similar incidents occurred in England, Hungary and the Netherlands.
