Darkness and light

For the inauguration of the new 'Stadium of Light' in Lisbon November 5, 2003 Nuno Gomes wrote his name into the history books as the first man to score there, bagging both Benfica's goals in the 2-1 friendly win over Uruguay's Nacional.

Portugal's Nuno Gomes celebrates after scoring the 1-0 lead 24 June 2000, during the quarter-final Turkey vs Portugal match of the Euro 2000 soccer championship in Amsterdam. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

The controversial striker will hope to be on the score sheet there again on July 4, 2004 for the final of Euro 2004, which hosts Portugal will be doing everything to reach.

Born near Porto in July 1976 he shot to international attention back at Euro 2000 with four magnificent goals and an outburst of rage after the semi-final defeat to France that earned him a seven month ban.

One of the lasting images of the tournament is of a furious Gomes thrusting his shirt at and jostling the match referee, who had awarded France the penalty from which Zinedine Zidane scored the golden goal winner.

A challenge too far

Fiorentina's Portuguese forward Nuno Gomes vies in a UEFA Cup match against Dnipropetrovsk in Florence 27 September 2001.

England goalkeeper David Seaman makes a save in front of Portuguese player Nuno Gomes (L) and Joao pinto 12 June 2000, during the Euro 2000 Group A match Portugal v England at the Philips stadium in Eindhoven. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE)

His exploits at Euro 2000, including the winner when Portugal came from 2-0 down against England to win 3-2 and a brilliant strike against France in the semis, earned him a 20 million euros move from Benfica to Italy's Fiorentina.

The Serie A club were desperate to fill the hole left by the departed Gabriel Batistuta. An unenviable task for anyone.

After two seasons and just 14 goals he was transferred back to Benfica. He did however have an Italian Cup winners medal from 2001 to pack in his baggage home.

In the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup he scored seven of Portugal's goals, but once out in Asia the Iberians choked, crashing out in the first round.

The following season with Benfica he helped the capital outfit to second place in the championship, though an ankle injury late in the campaign saw him sidelined for five months.

But he came back with a typically explosive bang.

As well as the two goals in his comeback at the inauguration of the new stadium, he grabbed two more in his first competitive match, a Uefa cup win over Norwegian side Molde.

Thereby forcing his way back into Luis Felipe Scolari's plans for Euro 2004, he grabbed a hat-trick in the 8-0 slaughter of Kuwait on his return to national duty.

Should Gomes and Paris Saint Germain striker Pauleta come into form during the Euro 2004, Portugal will finally have a strike partnership to match their renowned midfield and a good chance of reaching that Stadium of light final.