what IS beautiful football? who's to decide what is beautiful football?

in the light of the euro2004 final there has been lots of critics of greece's game, slamming them for not "displaying the beautiful game" and potentially deterring more people from taking up the sport.

i'll admit - the game was not really exciting - it was more intruiging than anything else.
but the well-oiled menace machine of the greeks against iberian flair and attacking verve of the home team - this IS as close to the ideal football match as one can get. it elucidates and elaborates on the basic premises of the game - attack against defence.

beautiful is subjective - efficiency can be as beautiful as finesse. the technical ability of the greeks cannot be undermined or ignored...wasn't it beautiful, in a way, how they managed to counter just about everything scolari and his charges threw at him?
with near-impeccable vision and reading of the game the quartet of seitaridis, fyssas, dellas and kapsis nullified the threat of figo, ronaldo and deco. uncanny tackles, precise intercepting runs, strength in challenges... this is a celebration of the ability of body and mind. along with the midfield pair of basinas and zagorakis, the backline epitomised all that is beautiful in the mental aspect of football - almost completely efficient and effective implementation of their game plan.

portugal represent one type of beauty - not that greece aren't beautiful, they're just beautiful on a different plane.

so don't take anything away from this motley crew's cinderella adventure, one to rival that of the danes in euro92 when, after a last minute callup, schmeichel and the laudrup brothers trumped everyone to the title. possibly it will not last long - majority of the squad are on their last legs, and there does not seem to be a new generation coming through - but while it does, let them continue playing their game their way. they've proven it works - and actually it isnt that bad to watch after all - so why pan them?

at least they didn't stroke the ball around the backline for 5 mins like some team did at the last world cup...