LE GOLDEN BOY

Dramatic tournament gets fitting finale

- SIMON BIRD

THE minutes ticked by with his side a goal down - and Roger Lemerre knew France needed a "miracle".

"Hope becomes desperation and you hope for a miracle," the head coach said. "That miracle did indeed happen. It is the strong will of the team that made it possible."

Was Euro 2000 the best-ever international tournament? It is certainly up there for the quality goals, comebacks and drama served up in Belgium and Holland.

And then there was the grandstand finish of the final in Rotterdam, a genuinely great French side and that famous Golden Goal.

The sudden-death rule had a short life span at big tournaments, but was claimed by David Trezeguet's bust-the-net volley 13 minutes into extra-time.