As soon as the football appeared, Germany's Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schroder, secured it and to the envious admiration of his fellow leaders, dribbled expertly for a few minutes, Denis Staunton writes. Tony Blair grinned cheesily, Lionel Jospin looked on warily and Commission President Romano Prodi stood by goofily. The photo call to mark agreement between the EU, FIFA and UEFA on football transfers was a welcome respite for the leaders from their grim summit diet of economic reform, foot-and-mouth disease and Balkan troubles.
The Swedes, who have made a virtue out of the dullness of their six-month EU presidency so far, were clearly annoyed that current issues had forced their way on to the summit agenda. After all, who could wish to discuss the possible ruin of Europe's agriculture and the threat of war on the edge of the EU when they could be talking about financial services, mobile phones and tax on e-commerce?
Outside the conference centre, a small group of yellow-clad Falun Gong followers knelt in protest against China's persecution of the sect. A few feet away, a group of Somali demonstrators sang gently as they handed out leaflets calling for their country's partition.
The Swedes are among the least enthusiastic EU members and for most local people, the summit meant little more than unwelcome traffic jams caused by official motorcades. Many view the six-month EU presidency as a prolonged festival of self-aggrandisement on the part of their unpopular Prime Minister, Goran Persson. Mr Persson has infuriated officials with his fatuous, populist gestures, such as inviting hundreds of schoolchildren to act as "young reporters" at the summit.