Euro Cup stories: Milan Baros, the 2004 star who never shone again

The history of the Czech Milan Baros is not an isolated case of footballers who shone in competitions with their national team, and afterwards, little or very little was known about them. It happened in the 94 World Cup held in the USA, when the Russian Oleg Salenko was top scorer with his team despite not going to the second phase. With Baros, Euro 2004 was much more fun, a pity that later his star faded. Euro 2004 Euro Cup in Portugal was presented as a great opportunity for the team directed by Luis Felipe Scolari, to become a winner in front of their public. But in this European Championship the surprises did not stop happening, the first the winner. Against all odds Greece completed its particular championship by defeating the hosts in the grand final. Earlier, Otto Rehhagel’s Greeks had to face one of the sensations of the tournament: the Czech Republic of Nedved, Cech, Rosicky and Poborsky. The Czechs had been almost intractable in the first phase. They finished with 9 points as leaders of their group, D, leaving out the all-powerful Germany and defeating the Netherlands (2-3) in a formidable match for the Czechs, among them the 22-year-old forward Milan stood out from the start. Baros who arrived as a substitute but established himself in the position based on goals.Baros PichichiBaros was playing at that time in Liverpool, and had not had many opportunities. After the European Championship in Portugal, Baros returned to England as one of the most sought-after forwards on the continent, but it was all a mirage of a month. Baros became the top scorer in the Euro with 5 goals. In addition, he showed to be really in shape with outstanding performances in all the games.The Czech star made his team dream of doing something great in that championship, despite everything, the Czech Republic, full of good players, perhaps the best that have come together in all its history, could not against the Greek wall and they stayed At the gates of the final. What happened to Baros? When the European Championship ended, half of Europe asked Liverpool about Baros, who saw a great striker for that season. He contributed 9 goals the year the Reds won their first modern Champions League, but Milan Baros was no longer the shadow of what he showed in Portugal. The following season he ended up at Aston Villa, and later he would go to Olympique de Lyon in a trade for John Carew. They were his best years after the national team, but he never shone the same as in the European Championship in Portugal. Baros ended up retiring from football professional in 2020 after returning to the team of his country that saw him born, Banik Ostrava. The Czech striker did not score a single goal again in a finals after Portugal.