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Eusebio


Eusebio in training before the '66 Wolrd Cup semi-finalLev Yashin saves from Eusebio in the '66 World Cup 3rd place play-off

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Full name:    Eusebio da Silva Ferreira
Born:    25 January 1942 (Lourenco Marques)

Clubs:    1958-1961 Sporting Club of LourencoMarques
           1961-1975 Benfica

International debut:    1961 v Luxembourg

Honours:    (All with Benfica or Portugal)
                1961    Portuguese Championship
                               World Club Cup runner-up
                1962    European Cup
                               Portuguese Cup
                               World Club Cup runner-up
                1963    Portuguese Championship
                               European Cup runner-up
                1964    Portuguese Championship and Cup
                1965    Portuguese Championship
                               European Cup runner-up
                               European Footballer of the Year
                1966    World Cup 3rd place
                1967    Portuguese Championship
                1968    Portuguese Championship
                1969    Portuguese Championship and Cup
                1970    Portuguese Cup
                1971    Portuguese Championship
                1972    Portuguese Championship and Cup
                1973    Portuguese Championship
                1974    Portuguese Championship


Eusebio scores his 9th goal of the '66 World Cup FianlsEusebio scores in the 1963 European Cup final


  • The legendary Eusebio is Portugal's all-time leading goal scorer with 41goals.
  • "The Black Panther", or "The Black Pearl", as he was known, was top scorerin the 1966 World Cup, with nine goals to his name.  These includedfour in one match against North Korea.  He also scored in the semi-finalagainst England but left the pitch in tears when Portugal lost.
  • As a young player, Eusebio was the subject of a fierce contract battlebetween two Portuguese clubs.  He made his debut with Mozambique'sLourenco Marques, a nursery club of Sporting Lisbon, but was "kidnapped"by Benfica on his arrival to Lisbon and hidden away in an Algarve fishingvillage until the arguments between the clubs died down.
  • Eusebio was a member of the first side to beat legendary Real Madrid ina European Cup final.  In 1962 Benfica trounced the Spanish aristocratsand 5-times winners of the trophy 5-3 in the final.  Eusebio scoredtwice.
  • Eusebio made such an impression on the British Public in the 1966 WorldCup that his figure was immediately added to Madame Tussaud's waxwork collection.
  • Bela Guttmann, Benfica's coach, first heard of Eusebio in a haridresser'ssalon in Lisbon.  In the chair next to him was Sao Paolo's coach,who were touring Portugal.  He told Guttmann about a brilliant footballerhe had seen in Portuguese East Africa.  Guttmann flew out and withina week and bought Eusebio.
  • In his 15 years at Benfica there are only two when Eusebio didn't win amajor honour - 1966 and 1975 (his last year at the club).
  • In 1963, Eusebio was selected for the Rest of the World side to play Englandat Wembley as part of the F.A.'s Centenary celebrations.
  • From 1964 to 1968, and again in 1973, Eusebio was Portugal's top Leaguescorer.  On the last two occasions he was top scorer in the wholeof Europe as well.  His total of 46 goals in European competitionis second only to the 49 of Real Madrid's Alfredo Di Stefano.
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