Eusébio, who passed away in January 2014, would have turned 75 today.
Widely considered one of the greatest players in football history, Eusébio spent the majority of his career with Benfica.
He won the 1961/62 European Champion Clubs’ Cup with the Eagles, top-scored as Portugal finished third at the 1966 FIFA World Cup and was awarded the 1965 Ballon d’Or.
In February 2010, Eusébio became only the third man to receive the UEFA President’s Award, following Alfredo Di Stéfano and Sir Bobby Charlton.
Eusébio had inspired Benfica to that 1962 triumph, scoring twice in a 5-3 final victory against Real Madrid in Amsterdam. It was a performance that launched his career – in total, he registered 59 goals in 78 games in UEFA club competition.
In 1968 Eusébio earned plaudits for a particularly fine gesture of sportsmanship in the European Cup final against Manchester United.
In the closing stages of normal time, with the score 1-1, he bore down on United’s Alex Stepney, only to see the keeper make a brilliant point-blank save from his blistering shot. Eusébio forgot his disappointment to applaud and pat Stepney on the back. Benfica would lose the Wembley showpiece 4-1.
At the 1966 World Cup he notched nine goals, including two in the 3-1 elimination of holders Brazil in the group stage and four more in the extraordinary comeback to beat North Korea 5-3 in the quarter-finals.
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