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EUSEBIO FERREIRA DA SILVA, aka “Black Panther” or “Black Pearl”
Born: 25 January 1942 in Lourenco Marques/Mozambique.
Nickname: Pantera Negra
Position: Centre forward.
Caps:
Portugal 64 (1961-1973) / 41 goals
League Games:
Portugal 313 (1960-1975 & 1976-77) / 319 goals
USA (NASL) 25 (1975-1977) / 4 goals
Canada 25 (1976) / 18 goals
Mexico 10 (1975-76) / 1 goal
International Club Games:
European Champions’ Cup 63 (1961-1974) / 46 goals
European Cup Winners’ Cup 12 (1966-1975) / 11 goals
Intercontinental Cup 3 (1971-62) / 2 goals
European Footballer of the Year: 1962 (2nd), 1963 (5th), 1964 (4th), 1965 (winner), 1966 (2nd), 1967 (5th), 1968 (8th), 1970 (22nd), 1972 (15th), 1973 (7th)
Trophies & Tournaments:
World Cup participant: 1966 (3rd)
European Champions’ Cup winner: 1962
European Champions’ Cup beaten finalist: 1963, 1965, 1968
Portuguese Champion: 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975
Portuguese runner-up: 1966, 1970, 1974
Portuguese Cup winner: 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970*, 1972
Portuguese Cup finalist: 1965, 1971, 1974, 1975
Mexican Champion: 1976
US Champion (NASL): 1976
Top League Goal Scorer: 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973
* did not play in final.
If you get the opportunity to visit the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon you can’t miss the statue standing in recognition of Benfica’s, Portugal’s and Africa’s greatest player – the likeness of one Eusebio.
Born to a humble family in Mozambique, by the age of 17 Eusebio was the subject of a bidding war. His talent nurtured playing for Sporting de Lourenço Marques, Mozambique; Eusebio signed a contract with Benfica of Portugal. Sporting Lisbon took this to court claiming that the Mozambican club was a feeder club and that priority in obtaining Eusebio’s pass should have been theirs. It took almost six months or wrangling for Benfica to win out, and at the age of 18 Eusebio debuted in their B team. The debut was against Atletico de Lisbao and was auspicious. Eusebio scored a hat trick on the day.
That same year he joined the Portuguese NT which failed to qualify for the WC ’62; however, a year later he scored two goals that helped with the European Cup for Benfica for the second time. That memorable game was against Real Madrid of Puskas and Distefano (5 x 3), the first time Real were to lose a European Cup final match.
He couldn’t stop scoring. He hit 316 in 301 games in the Portuguese league for Benfica, and 97 in 60 games for Copa de Portugal games. In all he scored 727 goals in 715 matches while wearing Benfica's jersey. Until recently he was Portugal’s all-time leading scorer for country with 41 goals in 64 matches.
He was leading scorer in the Portuguese League a total of 7 times, twice European top goalscorer, and Golden Boot for WC 1966 (where he lead his team to the semis against the hosts England, finishing with 9 goals in total). He won 10 league championships, 5 Portuguese cup titles, and made it to 4 CL finals while winning one. His 467 goals in European cup and 11 goals in European cup winners cup gives a healthy 57 European cup goals.
He was skilled in the aerial game, could shoot with both feet (with his right foot shot renown for its accuracy and velocity), was fast on the sprint (he was the under-19 Portuguese champion of 400, 200 and 100 m races) and on the dribble, intelligent and had a sense of positioning. He was elected Ballon D’or as best European footballer on one occasion, and finished runner-up on two other occasions. Despite his goals Portugal did not manage to qualify for either the 1970 (coming in last in a group won by Romania) or 1974 WC (losing out to Bulgaria); thus depriving many of seeing his talents close up.
As was the custom of the great teams of the era, Benfica toured the world and Eusebio’s talents could be appreciated away from Europe. Unfortunately on one of those excursions he seriously hurt his left knee, and despite a successful operation, never fully returned with the same vigor. From that point on a series of nagging injuries began to hamper his career. In 1974, for the first time since 1961, Eusebio was left of a Portuguese NT selection.
At the age of 32 he was sold to the American NASL.
WC 1966
Unfortunately 1966 would be his only appearance at the WC; however, it would be one to remember. "The Black Pearl" bagged nine goals in the tournament. His most memorable performance was against N.Korea, the surprise of the tournament.
After having eliminated Italy in the group stage, the Koreans seemed to be on their way to continuing their miracle run by going up 3-0 on the Portuguese within the first 25 minutes. When it looked like curtains for the Portuguese, the Black Panther sprung into action. By the 59th minute Portugal was up 4-3, with Eusebio having bagged all four goals. They went on to win 5-3.
His performance that day is the stuff on legend. WC 1966: Portugal x N.Korea
The Battle for Eusebio
Two interesting stories about how Eusebio came to land in Benfica’s hands.
It seems that Bela Guttmann, Benfica's coach, first heard of Eusebio while talking with Sao Paolo (Brasil)’s coach who was touring Portugal with his team. He told Guttmann about an amazing player he had seen in Portuguese East Africa. The story has it that Guttmann flew out within a week and bought Eusebio.
It’s reported that when the young Eusebio arrived in Portugal, he was whisked away from Lisbon to be hidden away in fishing village in the Algarve until the legal haggling was “resolved.”
Season - Club - Games – Goals – [Caps / Goals]
1960/61 Benfica Lisboa.............01 / 00
1961/62 Benfica Lisboa.............17 / 12 [ 5 / 2 ]
1962/63 Benfica Lisboa.............24 / 23 [ 3 / 1 ]
1963/64 Benfica Lisboa.............19 / 28 [ 5 / 2 ]
1964/65 Benfica Lisboa.............20 / 28 [ 6 / 9 ]
1965/66 Benfica Lisboa.............23 / 25 [13 /12 ]
1966/67 Benfica Lisboa.............26 / 31 [ 4 / 3 ]
1967/68 Benfica Lisboa.............24 / 42 [ 3 / 0 ]
1968/69 Benfica Lisboa.............21 / 10 [ 4 / 2 ]
1969/70 Benfica Lisboa.............22 / 20 [ 2 / 1 ]
1970/71 Benfica Lisboa............ 22 / 19 [ 4 / 2 ]
1971/72 Benfica Lisboa............ 24 / 19 [11 / 4 ]
1972/73 Benfica Lisboa............ 28 / 40 [ 1 / 0 ]
1973/74 Benfica Lisboa............ 21 / 16
1974/75 Benfica Lisboa.............09 / 02
1975.... Rhode Island Oceaners..Regional
1975.... Boston Minutemen........08 / 02
1975/76 CF Monterrey..............10 / 01
1976.... Toronto Metros Croatia.25 / 18
1976/77 SC Beira Mar Aveira......12 / 03
1977.... Las Vegas Quicksilver....17 / 02 [ 4 / 0 ]
1977.... Uniao de Tomar............Second Division
1977/78 New Jersey Americans...Regional
European Cup Games:
Season - Club - Games – Goals
1961/62 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...07 / 05
1962/63 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...07 / 06
1963/64 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...03 / 04
1964/65 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...08 / 09
1965/66 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...05 / 07
1966/67 Benfica Lisboa...ECII..04 / 04
1967/68 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...09 / 06
1968/69 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...04 / 01
1969/70 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...04 / 04
1970/71 Benfica Lisboa...ECII..04 / 07
1971/72 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...08 / 01
1972/73 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...04 / 01
1973/74 Benfica Lisboa...ECI...04 / 02
1974/75 Benfica Lisboa...ECII..04 / 00
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