Eusébio

Bauer , the great Brazilian defender 50s , saw him play during a visit to Mozambique and immediately contacted his friend Bela Guttman , former coach of Benfica . Bauer had discovered the Mozambican Eusébio da Silva Ferreira .He immediately realized the potential of this young man and knew Guttman convince the boy that was a phenomenon . Benfica began the process and within days the young genius of seventeen who belonged to the Sporting Club of Lourenço Marques, stamped his signature on a contract . Problems arose almost immediately.Sporting Lisbon , Benfica 's biggest rival , had an agreement with the Lourenço Marques gave him option on their players. Benfica , knowing the situation , Eusébio led to Portugal , where he remained hidden while subsiding sport storm occurred when the Sporting discovered that they had removed their star .All that for a 17 years. But Benfica knew I had found gold. Benfica had just won the European Cup in the same year against FC Barcelona (1961 ) and the arrival of Eusébio became the best team in Europe.That year I had to prove in the final of the European Cup in 1962 against Real

Madrid of Di Stéfano , who had won five European Cups. In that game , one of the best finals in the history of the European Cup , Benfica beat Madrid 5-3 with two goals from Eusébio .Thanks to that game gave its name around the world and Eusébio became one of the biggest football stars . He was compared to Pele , which gives an idea of ​​its quality, but it was a different player .Eusebio was technically perfect and unlike Pele, physically it was a bull. Their firepower was enormous , the kind that leaves viewers in awe , completely ambidextrous and extremely agile, Eusébio was a predator in the area. Throughout his career at Benfica get 46 goals in Europe, only Di Stéfano scored more than him (49).

Like all great players , Eusébio had his appointment with the global fans. In his case at the 1966 World Cup in England . Portugal eliminated Czechoslovakia , runners world in Chile, and later Bulgaria and Hungary , two world powers at the time.Then came the Brazil of Pelé , reigning world champion . Portugal knocked out first since Pele Brazil after thanks to goals from Eusebio and criminal defense of Portugal . The next game became a legend Eusébio . Portugal lost to North Korea 3-0 . The game ended 5-3 to Portugal thanks to four goals from Eusebio . Portugal would fall in the semifinals against future champions but won the third place , the highest

ranking in the history of the Lusitanian country. Besides the Golden Boot as top scorer would take 9 of 66 World Cup goals .The black panther was at the height of his career and at the height of his fame. Of the 15 years he spent in the Portuguese Benfica only twice the club did not win a title. In total, there were 13 Portuguese League 5 Cups , 1 European Cup, as well as individual awards such as the Golden Ball in 1965 as the best European player of the year , and more than 1,000 goals in his career .Bauer was right. All those problems were worthwhile .