Agence France Presse

Athens, July 6:

Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos has scolded Portuguese striker Pauleta and French football legend Michel Platini for criticising Greece’s defensive tactics. “I want to stress that there was some malice written in foreign newspapers, which came from some important people like the celebrated Platini or Pauleta, who asked himself if it was a pity for a team that plays defensively to become European champions,” Stephanopoulos said. “Let’s answer Mr Pauleta and all the others who accuse the team of allegedly playing defensively, that whoever wins, wins, and whoever loses, loses — let’s be clear on that,” the Greek President thundered.

“It is regrettable that a team that does nothing but defends ends up as European champion,” Pauleta moaned after Portugal lost 1-0 to Greece in Sunday’s final. “The team prevented the other sides’ strikers from scoring. If this is a bad thing, or a sin, then it’s the other teams who didn’t play well,” Stephanopoulos said. “You played in a way that brought victory.”