Karel Brueckner, who has been promised free Czech beer for the rest of his days if his team win the tournament, meets Otto Rehhagel, a German offered Greek nationality for his achievements, for a place in Sunday's final.

Brueckner, white-haired, crumpled and radiating the warmth of an avuncular grandfather, has built the Czechs into a formidable side who have won 11 of their 12 competitive matches since his first game in charge in February 2002.

Unlike the Greeks they are a multi-talented squad with a great tradition -- European champions in 1976 and beaten finalists in 1996 -- and are reproducing the stylish attacking play that former Czechoslovak and Czech teams were famed for.

A country boy from Olomouc in Moravia, Brueckner was a moderate player for his local side Sigma Olomouc before moving into coaching.

A Slovak, he has never worked outside the Czech Republic or Slovakia and earned his promotion to the top job by coaching the Czech under-21 side which won the European title in 2002.

Brueckner, who has been in charge of his home town team four times, does not recognise the star system. Rather he places his faith in high technical standards, tactics and teamwork.

"When I was a child I had no role models," he said. "I grew up in a little village where all we had was a bicycle, a ball and poverty. That was a motivating influence for me."

His focus on collective work is a success among his players, who include European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved and several others who play for top European teams.

"Not once in two years has any player come to ask me for a break from the national team before a friendly game," he said before the tournament. "That tells you something about us.

"Our attitude is not about stars but about the collective. I don't have stars in my team, I have only human beings."

Rehhagel, at 65, looks younger than his 64-year-old rival thanks to his unflecked brown hair and he has a reputation as an occasionally volatile showman.

KING OTTO

After the Greeks qualified for Euro 2004, he was invited to sing the Greek national anthem on a live television show. He did so and was awarded Greek nationality, for fun, by the presenters.

Now it appears the Greek government want to make this official after Rehhagel's astonishing achievement in taking his side to the last four.

Nicknamed King Otto in Greece, he has an impressive club record having taken Werder Bremen to the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992 and two Bundesliga titles, and piloted promoted Kaiserslautern to the title in 1998.

Like Brueckner, Rehhagel is a firm believer in teamwork. He calls his style of management "democratic dictatorship" and has persuaded the Greek players to embrace the work ethic with spectacular results.

He transformed the team's training camp, banishing all hangers-on, relatives and the media. He moved the base from a shared arrangement with a big Athens club to a centre an hour from the capital, and concentrated on discipline and fitness.

Greece qualified for their first European finals in 24 years with a team that works tirelessly, seldom gives the ball away and makes the most of its limited attacking opportunities.

"We will not go to Portugal as character actors," he promised before the tournament. He has been true to his word as Greece beat hosts Portugal and champions France.

Win or lose at Euro 2004, Rehhagel wants to stay and direct the side in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

"When I leave this post, I will be willing to accept further challenges," he said.

"I am still motivated, healthy and fit. There's no such thing as a young or old coach - only successful or unsuccessful ones."