Football loses a legend: Portugal hero Eusebio dies at 71

[Vanilla Bear]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2534038/Eusebio-dead-71.html

Portuguese football legend Eusebio has died at the age of 71.

The forward scored an incredible 473 goals in 440 matches for Benfica, the Portuguese giants with whom he spent most of his career and won the European Cup in 1962.

He also scored 41 goals in 64 appearances for the Portugal national team, helping them to third place in the 1966 World Cup in England - a tournament in which he was top goalscorer with nine goals.

He memorably scored four goals in the 5-3 quarter-final win over North Korea at Goodison Park.

A spokesman for Benfica said: 'We have just received confirmation of the death of Eusebio. It's a very sad day for all of us.'

The club were unable to confirm details of Eusebio's death but reports in Portugal say he died of a cardiac arrest in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He had been in poor health for some time and was hospitalised during Euro 2012 after suffering a heart scare in Poland.

Benfica fans will now be offered the chance to pay their final respects to the player at the Estadio da Luz later on Sunday.

'Eusebio's body will be brought to the stadium later today and all fans will be able to say goodbye,' the spokesman said.

May he RIP.

 

[feller469]

A legend. RIP, sir.

 

[nightwanker]

Always named along Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Maradona, Platini...

One of the greatest footballers of all time.

Football really lost a legend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebio

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

The bloke lit up football on the biggest stage. If Portugal had one or two close to his level, they would have won in '66. I remember the ITV crew panning to a shot of the great man applauding after Luis Figo thumped one in against a dismal England in Euro 2000, seems like only yesterday. Sad news indeed, a pity such a great man didn't have a better innings. Rest in peace.

 

[tarzanya]

RIP. He was one of the best players and persons in portuguese football