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This is a magical date for me, says Scolari
After the Euro 2004 opening loss to Greece, many wanted the Portugal coach to be fired.
After the Euro 2004 opening loss to Greece, many wanted him fired.
That all changed after Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Netherlands to lift Portugal into its first major final. Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari capped off the night by announcing he will stay for two more years to guide Portugal to the World Cup finals in Germany.
Addressing the head of the Portuguese Soccer Federation Gilberto Madail, who was not present, Scolari said: "Here is the ring. We can be married for another two years."
Scolari won the World Cup two years ago for Brazil. Now he's trying to do it for Portugal.
"The feelings are different," he said. "Brazil won the World Cup four times before I arrived, and they had nothing to do with me."
"Portugal has never reached a final, so in terms of my CV and of personal satisfaction this is even more important." Wednesday's victory came on the same day two years ago that Scolari won the World Cup with Brazil.
It also came on the same day 13 years ago when Portugal won the world under-21 title. "I want to offer my congratulations to that team from 13 years ago and to all the fans who have given us such warmth during this campaign," he said.
"After the World Cup two years ago, this is obviously a magical date for me."
After his impressive career with Brazilian clubs and his national side, Scolari chose to test himself in Europe and moved to Portugal to take over the Portuguese team in January of 2003. From the start, Scolari's hard-edged, resolute and sometimes prickly manner ruffled feathers.
He especially angered FC Porto, the country's most successful club in recent years, and its supporters by his refusal to call up their goalie Vitor Baia, Portugal's first-choice 'keeper since 1990. Then came a series of disheartening results in friendly games - notching a 7-5-3 record over 18 months - before the host nation began its Euro 2004 warmup. In three of those games, the team was jeered off the pitch.
Defeat against Greece in the Euro 2004 opener made the Portuguese fear the worst.
But then came the renaissance.
Landmark wins over old Iberian rival Spain and against England had the local fans clamoring for Scolari to stay. Beating the Dutch clinched it.
