PAULO SOUSA

“AFTER I WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL, I HAD TO GIVE MY ROLEX TO PAUL LAMBERT”

You were part of Portugal’s fabled ‘golden generation’ that later reached the semis at Euro 2000. Just how good was that team?

We were players who loved to play football, but we needed more depth, especially in the final third. Our offensive transitions worked well and we had pace, though we sometimes lacked the final touch against sides who shut up shop. We were missing that bit for a long time. Certain forwards didn’t suit our playing style. Later, important players emerged who made the difference – the first was Pauleta, then Nuno Gomes, who made a big impact at Euro 2000. Even then, we lacked the level