Eusebio - World Cup Legend

Born in the Portuguese territory of Lourenço Marques, Mozambique in 1942, Eusebio is, without doubt, one of the greatest footballers the world has seen. Though born in Mozambique, Eusebio went on to play his greatest football for Portugal, playing for them 64 times in his footballing career.

Eusebio da Silva began playing with his local club Sporting Club Lourenço Marques from a young age and became proficient enough up front to become the subject of a vicious battle between Lisbon’s big two clubs, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica.

A hostile bidding war for Eusebio ensued and to escape the fierce negotiation wranglings, he temporarily left Lisbon and headed for the calm oasis of the Algarve. When the deal was struck and the dust had settled, Eusebio was a Benfica player at the age of 18.

And what a signing that turned out to be! His first appearance for Benfica saw him bag what would be the first of many goals he scored for the club. Coincidently, that match was a friendly against a Brazilian side that featured another new youngster – Pele! Phenomenally, Eusebio went on to hit the back of the net 317 times in 301 Portuguese League games.

Dubbed the ‘Black Panther’, Eusebio was renowned for his exceptional speed, acceleration and ball-striking abilities and it was these skills which earned him his place on his adopted country’s national side. Debuting for Portugal in 1962, Eusebio played an important role in Portugal’s first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup held in England in 1966. And it was on this world stage that Eusebio became a global phenomenon.

Noted as being one of the worlds greatest football games, the Portugal V North Korea quarter final of the 1966 World Cup showcased just how amazing Eusebio was. Trailing 0-3, Portugal needed a small miracle to get anything from the game and somebody must have heard their prayers because up stepped Eusebio to put four passed the keeper. Portugal went on to win the game 5-3 and Eusebio went on to take his rightful place among the legends of international football.

Though immensely talented, Eusebio was somewhat ahead of his time, not benefiting from what would be a later emergence of high quality Portuguese players and as a sad result, the World Cup of 1966 was the only time he graced the world stage.

Forty years on, Eusebio’s footballing feats have lost little of their style and flair and he remains as, arguably, the greatest Portuguese sporting hero of all time.

VC BET - In Running Specialists
Open an account online with VC BET and they will give you free bets worth up to £100. Plus you can bet in-running on Premiership games.
» VC Bet Review...

William Hill Bookmakers
Being licensed in the UK under some of the strictest gambling legislation in existence anywhere in the world, means that you can bet in total confidence.
» William Hill Review...