Just seconds after Greece won an improbable European Championship, church bells rang and cars clogged the streets of every city and hamlet.

Everywhere was a sea of blue and white - the colors of the Greek flag. Drivers blared horns. People yelled from balconies. Fireworks made some places seem like war zones.

Greeks filled with pride and patriotism partied, celebrating their national team's surprising 1-0 win over host Portugal in the finals Sunday. It was a much-needed triumph for a nation dealing with the grueling and costly preparations for next month's Olympics.

Shepherds fired guns from mountaintops. Red flares whizzed skyward from luxury yachts. Police - already on full Olympic patrols - let down their guard for a moment and hugged and danced.

"It's unbelievable! It's amazing! It's glorious!" yelled people running through Athens' main Omonia Square. Bands of school children danced together draped in the Greek flag.

The powerful national high comes at a time when Greek taxpayers are grumbling about huge Olympic bills and security officials are facing nonstop pressure to satisfy international concerns.

Olympic organizers hope the soccer fervor would spill over to the Aug. 13-29 Games. Ticket sales have been sluggish and the blitz of work in Athens has made many people see the games more as a long headache rather than a glorious homecoming.

Nearly every top official in Greece - including the head of the Olympic organizing committee - traveled to Portugal to watch the final match and proclaim that the success would unleash newfound Olympic spirit.

Premier Costas Caramanlis jumped up and down in the stands after Angelos Charisteas scored in the 57th minute, heading in a corner kick.

For some, it was an unfamiliar taste of the honor for Greeks tired of the country's reputation as unruly and disorganized.

"The most important trophy is that we won the respect of others," said Greek defender Traianos Dellas, who scored seconds from the end of the first overtime in the semifinal against the Czech Republic on Thursday.

Greece seemed unlikely to even get out of the first round when the 16-nation championship began.Then it stunned Portugal 2-1 in the opening game and held Spain to a 1-1 draw in the next match. The Greeks' only loss came in the final opening round match to Russia, but they managed to advance on goal differential.

In the next round, Greece was unstoppable. They didn't allow a goal in wins over powerhouse France, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Newspapers dubbed the team the "Greek gods." Dozens of special charter flights took fans to Portugal to witness "the dream" - as many Greeks have started calling the victory.

(agencies)