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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 the
1966 World Cup.
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 the 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.