26 May 2004: FC Porto became European champions, Europe blue and white | OneFootball

On May 26, 2004, FC Porto won the Champions League and wrote one of the most iconic chapters in the history of European football.

In the final held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the Dragons beat Monaco 3-0 and lifted UEFA’s most prestigious club trophy. Carlos Alberto opened the scoring in the 39th minute, Deco doubled the lead in the 71st, and Alenichev sealed the result in the 75th, confirming Porto’s triumph in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League final.

More than two decades later, that achievement still carries special historical weight: FC Porto remains the last team from outside Europe’s so-called top five leagues to be crowned champions of Europe. The blue-and-white side’s run has become a rare exception in modern continental football, increasingly dominated by the leagues of England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.

Porto’s 2003/04 campaign was marked by competitive consistency, the team’s solidity, and its ability to deliver in decisive moments all the way to final glory. The victory over Monaco turned that edition of the competition into an unavoidable reference point in the history of the club and of Portuguese football.

Twenty-two years later, the triumph is still remembered as one of FC Porto’s greatest international moments, on a day when Europe was painted blue and white.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.