Eusébio

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Lore & Background

Eusébio was born in the Mafalala neighbourhood of Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), Portuguese Mozambique on 25 January 1942. He helped Portugal reach third place at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, being the top goalscorer of the tournament with nine goals. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1965 and was runner-up in 1962 and 1966. He is Benfica's all-time top scorer with 473 goals in 440 competitive matches. His honours include eleven Primeira Liga titles and a European Cup, also being integral in reaching additional European Cup finals in 1963, 1965 and 1968. He was the European Cup top scorer in 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1967–68. He also won the Bola de Prata for the Primeira Liga top scorer a record seven times. He was the first ever player to win the European Golden Boot, in 1968, a feat he replicated in 1973.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the Estádio da Luz hummed with the energy of thousands, casting long shadows over the pitch as Eusébio sprinted towards the goal. With the ball at his feet, he seemed to glide rather than run, his eyes locked on the net. In a flash of movement that defied physics, he struck the ball with thunderous precision, sending it soaring past the keeper and into the top corner, silencing the opposition and igniting a roar that would echo through history.

Reader's Guide

Eusébio was known for his speed, technique, athleticism and right-footed shot, making him a prolific goalscorer, accumulating 733 goals in 745 matches. He was the first ever player to win European Golden Boot, World Cup Golden Boot and UCL Golden Boot. In the UEFA Champions League, he ranks second for the all-time Portuguese top goalscorers, scoring 47 goals. He is the second-highest goalscorer, behind Alfredo Di Stéfano, in the pre-Champions League era of the European Cup with 47 goals.

Did You Know?

• Eusébio scored nine goals in the 1966 World Cup, winning the Golden Boot.
• He was elected the ninth-best footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS.
• Pelé named Eusébio as one of the 125 best living footballers in his 2004 FIFA 100 list.
• He was selected as the Golden Player of Portugal by the Portuguese Football Federation in November 2003.