Can't see it on any of the sports websites, including Sky & BBC, but wiki has been updated to say he passed today. Sad loss if it is the case. From the footage I've seen over the years, a simply wonderful footballer.
Amazing player and a true gentleman. If I remember rightly, when Man Utd played Benfica Stepney made a game winning save from Eusebio. Eusebio's response was to offer him his hand in acknowledgement. Up there with Pele and Best.
Sadly a little before my time so never had the pleasure of watching the great man play live but everything I've seen and heard since puts him up there in the top three players ever. To come from such humble beginnings to reach the top of the game in that era too is a measure of the man.
World cup 66 golden boot,4 goals in quarter final,first player to score against Banks and England in 66. The European Cup Final 68 against Manchester Utd. When football was really GREAT this man was the GREATEST OF ALL FOOTBALLERS. RIP.
My dear old dad took me to see the 1963 European Cup Final at Wembley, played on a Wednesday afternoon. Eusebio opened the scoring for Benfica before Inter went on to win 2-1.
Although that's now a very distant memory I can still just remember him. A few years later he attained legendary status with his exploits in the 1966 World Cup.
Remember him in tears when Portugal got knocked out by England, a picture made even more vivid from the free Evening Standard colour poster I had on my bedroom wall after the WC ended.
One thing about Eusebio is that he was never in those lists of "who's the best player ever?" But everyone you speak to who saw him play talks about him as being right up there with the very best. Quite rightly a much loved figure in Portugal and he's fondly remembered by football fans the world over.
I used to pretend to be him as a kid kicking the ball against the garage doors, after he had signed for my Club Forest Hill Rangers!! A gent and a legend!
One of the greatest. The four goals in the 66 World Cup QF at Goodison against N.Korea, dragging his team back from 0-3 down, was a stand-out performance. A volley against Pele's Brazil in an earlier group match was also special. Two great goals against Real Madrid in a European Cup Final in the early sixties was just before my time.
I'd consider Pele and Maradona at the top of the pyramid, with Cruyff, Beckenbauer & Best just in behind. Eusebio is in the next group with Puskas, Di Stefano, & Garrincha. Then we can talk about, Zidane, Platini, Ronaldo, Zico, Moore, Van Basten, etc. Messi & C. Ronaldo need a good world cup, and possibly go close to winning it, before they can be included in the top echelons, but they have every chance in Brazil. ( C.Ronaldo's recent performance in Sweden was equal to any of Eusebio's)
The word legend is over used, but not in this case. Football lost one today.
Despite Geoff Hurst scoring his hat-trick and England winning it Eusebio was the dominant figure of the 1966 World Cup completely overshadowing Pele who was widely regarded as the best player in the world at the time.
World cup 66 golden boot,4 goals in quarter final,first player to score against Banks and England in 66. The European Cup Final 68 against Manchester Utd. When football was really GREAT this man was the GREATEST OF ALL FOOTBALLERS. RIP.
Comments
RIP Legendary player
RIP.
The European Cup Final 68 against Manchester Utd.
When football was really GREAT this man was the GREATEST OF ALL FOOTBALLERS.
RIP.
His birthday today too.
Great man, great footballer.
Although that's now a very distant memory I can still just remember him. A few years later he attained legendary status with his exploits in the 1966 World Cup.
Great footballer, great man. R.I.P.
Fantastic player. RIP.
Quite rightly a much loved figure in Portugal and he's fondly remembered by football fans the world over.
A great loss.
Two great goals against Real Madrid in a European Cup Final in the early sixties was just before my time.
I'd consider Pele and Maradona at the top of the pyramid, with Cruyff, Beckenbauer & Best just in behind. Eusebio is in the next group with Puskas, Di Stefano, & Garrincha. Then we can talk about, Zidane, Platini, Ronaldo, Zico, Moore, Van Basten, etc.
Messi & C. Ronaldo need a good world cup, and possibly go close to winning it, before they can be included in the top echelons, but they have every chance in Brazil. ( C.Ronaldo's recent performance in Sweden was equal to any of Eusebio's)
The word legend is over used, but not in this case. Football lost one today.
A true legend of the game.
RIP
A very good obituary here http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/05/eusebio