Yellowknife (July 09/04) - Nick Bastas calls it "our big fat Greek win."

Greek fans in Yellowknife and around the world had something to celebrate Sunday, when their national soccer team won the European Cup. They beat Portugal, the tournament's host, 1-0 in the final match.

Bastas, who was born in Canada and has lived in Yellowknife for eight years, knows what a big deal the win was: "when you see Greek flags in Yellowknife, it's gotta be something."

Nick's sister Sara echoed his feelings. The odds against the Greek team were 80-1 at the beginning of the tournament. It is "a true Cinderella story," she said. "Definitely God was a Greek fan."

Held a party

The two held a party with their friends, complete with roasted lamb, a favourite Greek dish. They even watched Greek TV via satellite. It was "pandemonium" in Athens, said Sara. "I think Greece is probably shut down for four days."

Nick, who is going to the country on holiday at the end of the month, figures that people "will still be celebrating when I get there."

Greece is hosting the Summer Olympics in August, which only adds to the excitement of expatriate Greeks.

As Sara says, "being kids that are immigrants, you're taught to love Canada, but when this happens you're Greek again."

Nick adds that while 10 million people live in Greece, 30 million Greeks live outside the country, and with everything that they have to be proud of this summer, "now they are the world."