was perhaps best-reflected by L'Equipe, the French daily
sports newspaper, which declared in a headline "God Is
English". In its three pages of coverage, L'Equipe praised
the "energy, passing and free kicks of Beckham" and
concluded: "As a legend, 'Becks' has just joined Best.
Sport, the Barcelona daily newspaper, devoted its first 23
pages to the match and spoke of the last final of the
millennium deserving an historic final. "And how we got it,"
the paper said.
El Pais recalled the late Sir Matt Busby, who was the
Manchester United manager when they last won the trophy in
1968. Sir Matt, who died five years ago, would have been 90
on the day of the final and El Pais stated: "Happy Birthday,
Sir Matt."
Marca, the Madrid daily sports paper: God saved Manchester
United.
Sport: The Red Devils - from the inferno to glory. The Nou
Camp, for all its majesty and the fact that this was the
last European Cup final of the millennium, deserved a
historic final. And how we got it. The denouement of
Manchester United-Barcelona has no comparison. Never was a
loser more of a loser; never was a winner so fortunate. From
glory to misery in a minute.
El Mundo, another Spanish newspaper: Manchester touched
glory in one minute. A magical final in a magical setting.
El Pais: The match was possibly the most dramatic ever seen
in the history of the European Cup.
IF NEWSPAPERS in neutral countries were spellbound by the
spectacle, it was a different matter in Germany. On its
front page, Bild carried a front-page black and white photo
of Stefan Effenberg, the Bayern captain, sitting dejectedly
on the ground, his head bowed. The paper had just two words
in its headline: "Oh, no!"
Bild: That was bitter. Just unbelievable.
TZ, the Munich daily tabloid: Ninety minutes party and then
the tears poured. One Munich supporter, Peter Bond, an
actor, demanded: How can a top team let in two goals at the
end?