Portugal has produced some great footballers. But surely the greatest and best loved was Eusébio. Born in Mozambique to an Angolan father, he played most of his club football for SL Benfica and became known around the world as the Black Panther, or the Black Pearl; but in Portugal they called him O Rei – the King.

He was fast, athletic, and technically brilliant. And he had an incredibly accurate right boot that shot the ball at unstoppable speed. Eusébio’s career lasted 745 matches and he scored 733 goals; for Benfica he scored 638 in 614 matches.

In the 1966 World Cup he was the highest goal scorer of the tournament with nine, including four in one match. An International Federation of Football History and Statistics poll voted him the ninth-best footballer of the twentieth century, and Pelé named him in his list of the 125 best living footballers in 2014.

Sadly, Eusébio died in early 2014. News of his death made headlines around the world. Not only was he remembered as one of the best players in history, but also for his reputation for fair play and humility which made him a great ambassador for the sport and his country.

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