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Eusebio funeral: Thousands line streets to say farewell
BBC Sport – Tens of thousands of Portuguese have turned out to say a final farewell to football legend Eusebio, who died on Sunday.
In Lisbon, mourners lined the streets applauding as the coffin, draped in the colours of his club Benfica, passed by in a funeral cortege.
Earlier, thousands of fans sang and cheered as the coffin was taken round
An estimated 10,000 fans cheered, sang and let off firecrackers at Benfica’s Luz Stadium. (AP)
the Luz stadium.
Eusebio’s burial took place at a cemetery in the north of the city. Tributes were paid at a Mass held in the city’s Seminary Church near the stadium.
Portugal has declared three days of national mourning for the footballer, who died from a heart attack at the age of 71. He has been described as Portugal’s first and greatest football superstar.
Born in Mozambique when it was still a Portuguese colony, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira went on to play 64 times for Portugal, scoring 41 goals.
The Benfica striker was top scorer at the 1966 World Cup in England, with nine goals, including four against North Korea.Widely considered one of the best players of all time, he scored 733 times in 745 professional matches.
United by pride
When his death was announced on Sunday, celebrities from the world of football and beyond paid tribute to the player known in his day as the Black Panther.
“Football has lost a legend,” Fifa President Sepp Blatter wrote on Twitter. Portugal’s President Anibal Cavaco Silva said: “Portugal has today lost one of its most beloved sons, Eusebio da Silva Ferreira. The country mourns his death.”
Former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano said: “I have lost a friend. Portuguese football has lost one of its greatest idols. Football brought Mozambique and Portugal together, and everyone in Mozambique is proud of Eusebio.”
At the Luz stadium, or Stadium of Light, Eusebio’s coffin was carried from the hearse and
The football legend’s coffin was placed on a golden plinth at the centre of the pitch. (AP)
placed on a golden plinth in the centre of the pitch. It remained there for only five minutes or so before being returned to the car for a procession in front of fans.
Fans draped scarves over the statue of the player that stands outside the stadium. The stadium, opened in 2003, replaced the 120,000-seat Stadium of Light where Eusebio dazzled for Benfica, helping them to numerous honours. “For me, he is simply the creator of football,” said 24-year-old fan Luis Marques. One banner left by the Eusebio statue read: “I haven’t come to say goodbye, but to say thank you.”
Glittering record
Famed for his blistering acceleration and dribbling skills, Eusebio was named European Footballer of the Year in 1965. He won the European Cup with Benfica in 1962 and was in the side that lost to Manchester United in the 1968 Wembley final.
In the 1966 World Cup, Eusebio’s goals helped Portugal win all their group games as title holders Brazil were eliminated in the first round. He then starred in a dramatic 5-3 win over North Korea in the quarter-finals, with his four goals helping his side come back from 3-0 down.
Portugal went on to lose 2-1 in the last four to England, with Eusebio in tears as he left the pitch at the end of the game.
Married with two daughters, in retirement he became an ambassador for Benfica and Portugal.
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