The Greek view: What have they in store for Ireland?

Before the 'record' button was hit on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former Ireland international Keith Treacy brought up the head-to-head stat between the Boys in Green and Greece.

As it turns out, meetings between the men's teams have been curiously rare and all have been non-competitive. The last one was back in November 2012 and the first in April 2000, with just one other match in between.

That November 2002 friendly was the first game after Mick McCarthy's exit as manager and ending in a goalless draw, it was the only time Greece have failed to beat Ireland.

It came at a time when Greek football was on the cusp of its greatest feat. Less than two years later they would shock world football by winning Euro 2004.

And that triumph is the basis of a book by Greek football journalist and broadcaster Vasilis Sambrakos, titled The Miracle: The Football Team That Shocked The World, offering a brilliant insight into the small details that led Greece to one of sport's most unexpected outcomes.

With Stephen Kenny's Ireland in Athens for a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday - live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player - Sambrakos joined us from the Greek capital on this week's podcast to discuss the legacy of Euro 2004 and to shed light on what the Irish squad can expect against Gus Poyet's team.

Watch the full interview with Vasilis Sambrakos from the 25:30 mark:

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As he outlined, Greece's decade-long golden era sparked by the Euro 2004 win and bookended by reaching the 2014 World Cup knockout