Sport
Eusebio – The Soccer legend dies at 71
A younger Eusebio in action while playing for his club Benefica. PHOTO/File
(Reuters) – Portuguese great Eusebio, top scorer at the 1966 Soccer World Cup, died on Sunday from a heart attack at the age of 71 with the small Iberian nation mourning him as an “eternal symbol” of their soccer pride.
The death of the charismatic striker, who was idolized throughout the Portuguese-speaking world and considered one of the game’s greatest players was confirmed by former club Benfica and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).
“Portugal is mourning. Eusebio, the King of Portugal’s 1966 team and the eternal symbol of the country, national team and Benfica passed away,” the FPF said in a statement.
The Portuguese government declared 3 days of national mourning and many fans paid homage by visiting an iconic statue of him erected next to Benfica’s Luz stadium, leaving flowers, scarves and other tributes.
Eusebio, whose full name was Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, was European Footballer of the Year in 1965 but won global acclaim a year later at the World Cup in England, where his nine goals helped Portugal reach the semi-finals.
He earned 64 caps and scored 41 goals for Portugal, records that stood for almost two decades.
Nicknamed the ‘Black Panther’, Eusebio was a European Cup winner with Benfica in 1962 and played in 3 other finals, including the loss to Manchester United at Wembley in 1968.
