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Europe's Ryder Cup Heroes Return Home (PICTURES)

GALLERY: Europe's Heroes Return Home
The Huffington Post UK

Europe's triumphant Ryder Cup winning-team landed at Heathrow on Tuesday as they returned to the continent with the coveted trophy.

Captain José María Olazábal hailed his team's comeback from 10-6 down at the beginning of play on Sunday as "extraordinary" as he claimed the drama of the final day of competition made him feel "alive".

The European team in fact came from 10-4 down at one point before Martin Kaymer clinched a remarkable win at Medinah by 14½ to 13½.

Olazábal told a press conference at Heathrow: "(Being captain) is difficult, in a way it's torture. It's really tough on your nerves, but that's the beauty of the Ryder Cup. It's a huge adrenaline flow and that's what we live for to be honest - the pressure, the tension, the adrenaline flow makes us feel alive."

Europe Return Home
European Ryder Cup Press Conference(01 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Jose Maria Olazabal, the winning captain, poses for a photograph as reads the newspapers and has a cup of coffee prior to The European Ryder Cup Press Conference at Heathrow Airport on October 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(02 of18)
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Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal during a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(03 of18)
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Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal during a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(04 of18)
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Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal and Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts following a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(05 of18)
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Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal during a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(06 of18)
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Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts during a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(07 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: (L-R) Nicolas Colsaerts, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Francesco Molinari, Paul McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez pose during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(08 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: (L-R) Nicolas Colsaerts, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Francesco Molinari, Paul McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez pose during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(09 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Captain Jose Maria Olazabal poses with the Ryder Cup during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(10 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: (L-R) Nicolas Colsaerts, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Francesco Molinari, Paul McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez pose during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(11 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Nicolas Colsaerts poses during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(12 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Captain Jose Maria Olazabal and Lee Westwood embrace during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(13 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Captain Jose Maria Olazabal poses with the Ryder Cup during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(14 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Lee Westwood (L) and Captain Jose Maria Olazabal arrive with the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Victorious European Ryder Cup Team Return Home(15 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 1: Lee Westwood, Captain Jose Maria Olazabal and Francesco Molinari share a joke during the arrival of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Heathrow Airport on October 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
European Ryder Cup Press Conference(16 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Jose Maria Olazabal, the winning captain, poses for a photograph with the trophy in the official car of The European Tour prior to The European Ryder Cup Press Conference at Heathrow Airport on October 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
European Ryder Cup Press Conference(17 of18)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Nicolas Colsaerts (left) and Jose Maria Olazabal, the winning captain, are pictured as they read the newspapers and have a cup of coffee in a staged photograph prior to The European Ryder Cup Press Conference at Heathrow Airport on October 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Golf - Ryder Cup Press Conference - Sofitel London Heathrow(18 of18)
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Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal during a press conference at the Sofitel London, Heathrow Airport. (credit:PA)

The Spaniard added: "I don't know if it's (the comeback) a miracle, but it's something extraordinary to be honest. We haven't seen that before. What the players achieved that day was just amazing. It's up to you to decide if it's the greatest moment or the greatest comeback in history but they (the players) deserve all the credit."

The captain has been inundated by messages of congratulation from the likes of Rafael Nadal and also the King of Spain. "He was, like me, pretty much over the moon," said Olazábal. "That was a nice one."

Olazabal confirmed he would not be looking to retain captaincy again, saying: "I can assure you that's going to be a no, period."

He claimed there were plenty of other worthy candidates, citing Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Paul Lawrie, Westwood and Padraig Harrington. "It would be unfair of me to just name one for the next Ryder Cup," he said. "All of them deserve that position."

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