announced that the legendary forward, regarded by
many as one of the greatest to play the game, has
passed away
Portugal and Benfica great Eusebio has passed away
at the age of 71.
Born in Mozambique in 1942, Eusebio was brought to
Portugal by Benfica head coach Bela Guttman, who
signed the player in 1961 after making a personal
trip to Africa to see him play.
The attacker, nicknamed 'the Black Pearl' and 'the
Black Panther,' went on to become a legend for both
club and country, winning 11 Primeira Liga titles, five
domestic cups and the 1962 European Cup with
Aguias, as well as inspiring Portugal to third place in
World Cup 1966.
With his speed, power and skill, Eusebio was an
unstoppable force in the Portuguese league and
averaged more than a goal a game, hitting 319 in
just 313 league appearances, and remains Benfica's
all-time leading scorer.
His talent saw him finish top scorer in Portugal six
times, twice win the European Golden Boot (1968 an
1973) and be named European Player of the Year in
1965 as Benfica became a powerhouse of European
football.
Eusebio's exploits were not restricted to just
domestic level. He earned 61 caps and scored 41
times for Portugal, most notably finishing the 1966
World Cup as one of the stars of the tournament. He
scored nine times to secure the Golden Boot and also
netted as his side overcame the Soviet Union 2-1 to
seal third place.
After 15 years at Benfica, Eusebio played out the
remainder of his career in North America,
representing a number of teams in Mexico and USA
before retiring in 1978.
The former striker is regarded as one of the finest to
play the game and was placed ninth in Fifa's 'Player
of the Century' poll.
Cristiano Ronaldo was among those paying tribute to
Eusebio, writing on his Twitter account: "Always
eternal, Eusebio, rest in peace."
Reports in Portugal indicate that he passed away
after suffering a cardiac arrest in the early hours of
Sunday morning.
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