Eusebio is one of the greatest football players of the 20th century. His name is on a par with Pele, Lev Yashin and Bobby Charlton. This is one of the most striking strikers, who became famous for his performances for the Lisbon Benfica and the Portuguese national team. Several hundred goals during his career and dozens of awards and cups ... However, the main trophy of world football - the cup of the winner of the World Cup - was never submitted to him. Although once Eusebio was very close to him.
At the dawn of a career
His full name is Eusebio da Silva Ferreira. He was born during World War II in a Portuguese colony in East Africa (a suburb of Lawrence Marques). Today it is the capital of Mozambique Maputo. Eusebio's father worked on the railway, but when the boy was 8 years old, he died of tetanus. The future football star was not very interested in school and education, but he made friends with a leather ball in the first years of his life.
All the boys in those years were fascinated by the game of the Brazilian national team, therefore it is not surprising that the team that 11-year-old Eusebio gathered with friends was called “Brazilians”.
Young star
True, at first, the future forward could not quickly succeed. It was not possible to get to the Benfica farm club, and then his older brother invited Laurence Markis to Sporting. It was a double of the main competitor of Benfica - Lisbon Sporting. At the age of 15, Eusebio became one of the team's top scorers, scoring 77 goals in three matches in three seasons.
Together with the team of Eusebio, a promising footballer at that time, he successfully performed in friendly matches on the island of Mauritius and was spotted by scouts of another Portuguese grand - Porto. However, Eusebio was destined to still be in Benfica, in which he initially sought. The former Brazilian midfielder Jose Carlos Bauer drew attention to him, and, according to rumors, even wanted to attach him to the Brazilian São Paulo, but they refused. Then he advised to pay attention to the budding guy to the head coach of Benfica, the legendary Hungarian Bel Guttmann. He himself came to see Eusebio, and the life of the young athlete changed dramatically after that.
The early years at Benfica
Eusebio got into Benfica when he was 18 years old. He established himself well and in less than a year received a call to the Portuguese national team. The arrival of an ambitious forward to the team coincided with its heyday. Many call it the "golden" era of the club and associate it with only two names - Eusebio and Gutman.
Already in 1961, the Portuguese club broke the unconditional hegemony of Real Madrid in the European Cup. In a dramatic final match, the trophy was won, Barcelona proved to be defeated - 3: 2.
It was possible to repeat success for the next season. This time Benfica rivals went to the royal club itself. In Madrid in the first half, a hat-trick was issued by another legendary striker, Hungarian Ferenc Puskás, and the Portuguese answered with goals from Aguas and Kavem. At the 51st minute, Kolun equalized, and then Eusebio scored. Footballer and set the final score - 5: 3.
Eusebio has devoted most of his career to Benfica for 15 years. During this time, in 301 matches, he sent 316 goals to the opponents' goal. A phenomenal result for the striker.
The first steps in the team
In the national team, the athlete made his debut in October 61st, in a match against Luxembourg. It was a qualifying game before the 62nd World Cup. At that time, the Portuguese sensationally lost - 2: 4. Eusebio scored once. The footballer, whose photo in the coming years occupied the front pages of all sports newspapers in Europe, that evening was unhappy with himself.
The fact is that before the last match with the British, the Portuguese’s chances of continuing the fight seemed illusive - away, at Wembley, they needed only a victory. A miracle did not happen, the founders of football won 2-0, and dreams of the first world Cup had to be postponed for 4 years.
World Championship in England
The Portuguese went to the next world championship confidently, beating the teams from Romania, Czechoslovakia and Turkey in the group. This World Cup was the first and only for Eusebio. The player made a significant contribution to the victory of the Portuguese in all three matches in the group stage, scoring three goals.
In the ¼ finals, the Portuguese got a mystery team - the DPRK team. And at first the game was disastrous. In the first minute, Pak Son Jin opens the score, and by the 25th Portugal is already losing 0-3. In this situation, many would despair, but not Eusebio. He manages to make poker, and the striker scores two goals from the penalty spot, the result - 5: 3, and Portugal in the semifinals.
In ½, the rivals get the hosts - the British. The Portuguese fight decently, but Bobby Charlton twice hits the gate. At the very end of Eisebio, one goal wins the ball from the penalty spot. The result was a score of 1: 2.
The overall result of the performance at that mundial is third place. In the match for bronze, the Portuguese defeat the USSR team. Eusebio scores another goal. The forward statistics at that tournament are impressive, and with 9 goals he becomes the top scorer.
Past major tournaments
Unfortunately for the fans, Eusebio no longer played at the World Championships or at the European Championships. The Portuguese regularly unsuccessfully performed in qualifying matches and did not get to the main football forums.
On the eve of Euro-1968 they won only one victory over the Norwegians in the selection, and on the eve of the World Cup-1970 they lost in the group to the Romanians, Greeks and Swiss, being in last place.
At the end of the 70th - beginning of the 71st the Portuguese tried to recoup on the Euro. In this cycle, Eusebio was first appointed team captain. We started successfully - with a victory over the Danes, but then followed a 0-3 defeat from the Belgians, who eventually won in the group and won a ticket to the tournament. Eusebio played in all matches and scored two goals.
The last chance for Eusebio fell on the eve of the 1974 World Cup. The Portuguese began with two victories over Cyprus, but they were the only ones. Two draws with Northern Ireland and a defeat in the decisive match from the Bulgarians did not allow the great football player to take part in the world championship again.
Career in the USA
Like many stars in our time, after a successful European triumph, Eusebio went overseas to the American Football League. He has played for the Boston Minuteman, Toronto Metros Croix, Las Vegas Quicksilvers, and New Jersey Americans. Moreover, the most successful career was in Toronto, in one season Eusebio scored 18 times and won the championship cup.
Having finished speaking at a professional level, the footballer Eusebio did not go far from the game. His biography describes life, and later related to working with young pupils of Benfica, one of which was Rui Costa. Eusebio later held administrative posts in the club, performing representative functions.
In 1992, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the great player, a monument to Eusebio was unveiled at the Benfica home stadium. A footballer whose rating has reached unprecedented values has rightfully earned such recognition.
There was a place for love in Eusebio’s life. The personal life of the athlete is associated with his wife Zenobia da Silva and two daughters - Sandra and Carla.
Tragedy for the whole country
Eusebio tried to monitor his health. In 2007, he underwent carotid artery surgery to minimize the possibility of a stroke.
In late 2011 - early 2012, Eusebio was hospitalized 5 times for several months with suspected pneumonia due to severe pain in the neck and high blood pressure. But then everything worked out.
Eusebio died recently - January 5, 2014. The reason is heart failure. Mourning for 3 days was declared in the country, everyone honored the memory of the great striker Eusebio. The profile of a football player today includes a lot of achievements and awards, lacking only the most important - the title of world football champion.
Eusebio died at age 72. Perhaps this is the most famous Portuguese athlete in the world. Only Cristiano Ronaldo is trying to argue with his fame, but he also recognizes the unprecedented greatness of his predecessor.
“Football has lost a legend,” FIFA ex-president Sepp Blatter reacted to the death of the Portuguese on his Twitter . Tens of thousands of loyal fans came to say goodbye to the forward. The state flags were lowered on state buildings, all recreational activities in the country were canceled. So only true idols are escorted. So was Eusebio - a football player with a capital letter.