Porto the toast of Europe after historic double

Portugal's FC Porto became the first team in 27 years to win the UEFA Cup and Champions League in successive seasons with a 3-0 victory over French side Monaco here.

Liverpool achieved the feat back in 1976-1977 and UEFA Cup winners Porto, who defeated Celtic 3-2 in last season's final, wrote themselves into the history books thanks to goals from Carlos Alberto, Deco and substitute Dmitri Alenitchev.

Porto's coach Jose Mourinho was ecstatic to have rounded off his career at Porto with the greatest prize in European club football.

"It is fantastic we deserved it and have made history," said Mourinho, who is strongly linked to replace Claudio Ranieri at Chelsea.

"I think we both gave the world a wonderful spectacle."

He then sounded a valedictory note.

"It is almost for sure that this is my last match with Porto," he said.

"I am proud of myself and proud of my players as we are taking back the cup to Portugal and have made history," who started his football backroom career as the translator for Bobby Robson when he coached in Portugal.

Monaco coach Didier Deschamps was graceful in defeat.

"There is a different level between Porto and Monaco," said the 35-year-old, who won it twice as a player.

"It is logical they won because they are a better side even if I am bitterly disappointed."

"It was a great adventure but in the end we have ended up with nothing," added Deschamps, whose side ended up third in the championship after holding a huge lead at the turn of the year.

However he was sad for his players after all their efforts.

"They played with willingness and enthusiasm so to lose is bad enough but to lose 3-0 is very hard to take," he said.

It is the second time the Portuguese champions have won Europe's premier competition following up their 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in Vienna 16 years ago.

For losers Monaco it was a missed chance to repeat Marseille's success in 1993 and end France's 11 year wait for the Champions League.

Deschamps was part of that victorious 1993 Marseille side and claimed it was 'fate' that the final was being played on the same date.

But the French World Cup winner from 1998 was wrong and had to put the Champions League disappointment alongside his losses at Juventus in 1997 and 1998.

Monaco kicked off the 2004 final and nearly treated their bulk of the 53,000 fans at the Arena Auf Schalke to a goal after two minutes.

Ludovic Giuly threaded a pinpoint pass to Spanish international Fernando Morientes, who had shrugged off an ankle injury to play, but Porto goalkeeper Victor Baia swept the ball from the feet of the Champions League top-scorer.

Monaco were beginning to take the upper hand in the match but suffered a big blow on 24 minutes when the inspirational Giuly limped off injured.

The loss of their talisman seemed to knock Monaco out of their stride and Porto took full advantage in the 39th minute.

Brazilian teenager Carlos Alberto, 19, took advantage of the ball coming off a Monaco defender to rasp a right-footed volley past Roma.

The Samba ace whipped his shirt off in elation and was consequently shown a yellow card by referee Kim-Milton Nielsen.

However Mourinho believed that was the decisive moment.

"That made Monaco have to change their style and even if the second goal killed them off it was only possible because Carlos Alberto had given us some breathing space," he said.

The Monaco followers looked to Morientes, winner of this competition in 1998, 2000 and 2002 in the colours of Real Madrid for inspiration and on 62 minutes the striker looked set to level when one-on-one only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

Midfielder Edouard Cisse was taken off at the expense of striker Shabani Nonda as Deschamps threw on his final trump card.

Back-to-back Portuguese champions Porto showed why they have lost just once in the Champions League this season, to Real Madrid in the group stage, with some resolute defending.

As their French opponents pushed forward Porto produced a lightning counter attack on 71 minutes that sliced Monaco in two.

Three Porto players swarmed over the French rearguard and worked the ball to playmaker Deco, 26, who picked his spot and curled home to give Porto a cushion.

The Brazilian-born Portguese international had not enjoyed his best match but the composure of his finish showed why Bayern Munich are eyeing his services.

"Mourinho told us beforehand that 'win or lose we would remember this day for the rest of our lives'....now we have something amazing to tell our grandchildren," said Deco.

Monaco were deflated after the goal and four minutes later conceded again with substitute Alenitchev latching onto a chipped through ball which was deflected into his path by a Monaco defender to lash home.

It was curtains for Monaco as Porto's followers, donned in blue in white, celebrated a second successive win in Europe.