Eusébio, a name that inspires generations

Newly arrived in the United States, Benfica's professional football team held its first training session on American soil on Monday, June 9, in preparation for the Club World Cup, whose debut against Boca Juniors is scheduled for 11:00 p.m. (Mainland Portugal time) on June 16 (Monday). The first 15 minutes of the session on the pitch at Waters Sportsplex in Tampa were open to the media, and before it began, with 20 players under Bruno Lage's orders, Tiago Gouveia spoke to the journalists. See the images here...

This Tuesday, February 25, marks 11 years since the death of one of the most iconic captains in the history of Sport Lisboa e Benfica. On a day marked by immense longing, we remember Mário Coluna, the eternal leader who became a two-time European champion with an eagle on his chest, an emblem for which he also won 10 National Championships and 6 Portuguese Cups. A Sacred Monster... Unforgettable, Mr. Coluna!

José Augusto opened the scoring, António Simões made it solid with the fourth goal and Pérides helped fill the pitch in SL Benfica's biggest ever win against Real Madrid, 5-1 - which was also the meringues' first ever defeat in the European Cup. On February 24, 1965, in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the competition that would evolve into the Champions League, the Estádio da Luz hosted an iconic European night for the Glorioso. The three legends, 60 years later, listened to Emissora Nacional's commentary of the game and relived the magical moments in their own detail. 

Little Genius to many, simply Chalana to others, one of the most remarkable and iconic football players in the centenary history of Sport Lisboa e Benfica. This Monday, February 10, marks the 66th anniversary of the birth of Fernando Chalana, who wore the Manto Sagrado for 13 seasons (1974/75 to 1983/84 and 1987/88 to 1989/90) and left us on August 10, 2022. Forever in our hearts!

On January 25, 1942, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, was born. From Mozambique to the world, he became Sport Lisboa e Benfica's greatest figure. An idol to many, a legend to many others, he won over football lovers - and beyond! - with his performances, goals and achievements. He died on January 5, 2014, but he lives on in the memory of Benfiquistas, who, in various ways, eternalize the King. Spread across the globe, 49 members of the Club carry with them an attribute of inescapable strength: the name “Eusébio”. In a simple tribute to mark the Black Panther's 83rd birthday - this Saturday - his granddaughter, Maria da Silva Ferreira, shares the same story, one of many that keep her grandfather's legacy “very much alive among Benfica fans”.

This Sunday, January 5, marks 11 years since the departure of the greatest icon in the history of Sport Lisboa e Benfica. On a day marked by eternal longing, remember Eusébio da Silva Ferreira's career and remarkable moments with the "Manto Sagrado", as well as the moving national and international tributes that followed the death of a King who will never lose his crown in the hearts of all Benfiquistas.

On December 27, 1965, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was awarded the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Portuguese player to receive the award. Marking the 59th anniversary, BTV visited the Benfica Museum - Cosme Damião, in the space dedicated to the Black Panther, where André Santos, the Museum's cultural mediator, explained that the victory “was the culmination of a fantastic season” on an individual level. "He was the tenth winner overall, the first and only player to win a Ballon d'Or while playing for a Portuguese club," he said. A milestone that will forever be etched in the history of football and Sport Lisboa e Benfica!