After going behind to a Marco Delvecchio strike in the 56th minute, the French had taken the game into extra time in dramatic style, scoring an equaliser from substitute striker Sylvain Wiltord more than three minutes into stoppage time. The French fans in Rotterdam's De Kuip stadium, who included president Jacques Chirac, and at home across France had been taken on an emotional journey for 90 minutes and had thought the game was over. They are expected to turn out in their thousands again to welcome home the team at a reception on the Place de la Concorde near the Champs Elysees - the same area of the city which staged celebrations after the World Cup triumph on home soil. French soccer has never before enjoyed such supremacy in the modern game. The country's sports world is booming.
French players are major figures in the leading leagues of Italy, England and Germany.
The triumph at Euro 2000 was an excellent advert for attacking football. It is really a victory for attacking football. I picked them and I am happy that they won the title for us. But in coming back from behind, the French also showed that their sportsmen have mental strength and nerve as well as natural skills. The performance comes seven months after the country's talented rugby union team also showed tremendous spirit and flair in battling back from behind to beat favourites New Zealand on their way to the World Cup final in Cardiff.