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Date of birth: 25 January 1942
Place of birth: Lourenço Marques, Portuguese East Africa
Height: 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1/2 in)
Playing position: Forward
Biography
Eusébio, nicknamed "The Black Panther" was a Portuguese football player.
Eusébio was born in Mozambique and was the first big player that was
born in Africa.
Eusébio played most of his career at Benfica where he won the European
Cup with in 1965.
He also became eleven times Portuguese Champion with Benfica and is the
all-time top scorer of the club with 638 goals in 614 matches.
One of his most impressive moments was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup with
Portugal. Eusébio scored two goals against Brazil, knocking out the
former World Champion in the group stage of the tournament. In the
quarterfinals of that tournament Portugal had to play against North
Korea. After just 25 minutes it was already 3-0 for the Korean's, but
then came one of the most astonishing comebacks of football, Eusébio
scored four goals and Portugal won the game eventually with 5-3. In the
semifinals of the tournament Portugal played against England. The one
goal of Eusébio wasn't enough in the 2-1 lose and Portugal had to play
for the third place against the Soviet Union. The matched started well
for Portugal, by receiving a penalty after 9 minutes. Eusébio took the
penalty and scored, the famous Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin was close to
a save but just nearly missed the bal. Portugal won the game with 2-1
and became third, and Eusébio became top scorer of the tournament with 9
goals. Eusébio was a great striker, he was known for his speed,
powerful shot and dribbles.
Career
| Club Record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | Goals |
| 1957-1960 | Sporting de Lourenço Marques | 42 | 77 |
| 1961–1975 | Benfica | 614 | 638 |
| 1975 | Boston Minutemen | 7 | 2 |
| 1975-1976 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 25 | 18 |
| 1976 | Beira-Mar | 12 | 3 |
| 1976-1977 | Las Vegas Quicksilvers | 17 | 2 |
| 1977-1978 | União de Tomar | 12 | 3 |
| 1978–1979 | New Jersey Americans | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 733 | 748 | |
| National Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | Goals |
| 1961–1973 | Portugal | 64 | 41 |
Honours
| Team Honours | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Trophy | Years | |
| Benfica | European Cup | 1962 | |
| Benfica | Portuguese Championship | 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975 | |
| Benfica | Portuguese Cup | 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1972 | |
| Toronto Metros | American Championship | 1976 | |
| Monterrey CF | Mexican Championship | 1976 | |
| Individual Honours | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Trophy | Years | ||
| Ballon D'or | 1965 | ||
Puskás was the captain of the Hungarian national team of the 50s, also
known as the "Mighty Magyars".
They became Olympic champion in 1952 and were unbeaten for 32 matches
before losing the 1954 FIFA World Cup final against West Germany.
After winning five Hungarian Championships with Honved Budapest he left
Hungary in 1956 to play for European top club Real Madrid.
Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima was one of the greatest strikers ever. He
started his career at Cruzeiro where he scored 12 goals in 14
appearances.
He was part of the Brazilian 1994 FIFA World Cup selection that won the
tournament, but he didn´t play.
After the World Cup Ronaldo went to Holland to play for PSV were he
scored 30 goals already in his first season. In 1997 "O Fenômeno" went
to Barcelona where he scored 34 goals in 37 appearances, Ronaldo did
amazing things during his Barcelona period, dribbling past defenders
like they weren´t there and scoring goals at any moment.
With four goals already at the tournament Ronaldo was on his way to win
the 1998 World Cup with Brazil when an convulsive fit hindered him to
win the final.
After leaving Barcelona, Ronaldo joined Inter where he would stay until
2002, scoring 49 goals.
At the 2002 World Cup Ronaldo took revenge for the lost final four years
earlier by scoring two goals in the final against Germany and winning
the tournament.
In 2002 Ronaldo joined Madrid and helped them win the 2003 Spanish
Championship. He scored a total of 83 goals at Madrid in 127
appearances.
At the 2006 World Cup Ronaldo scored his 15th goal at a World Cup and
became record holder of scoring goals at a World Cup. Brazil lost the
quarter final of France with 1-0 at that tournament.
Edison Arantes do Nascimento also known as Pelé was one of the greatest
football players ever. Pelé started playing football at Bauru FC where
he was trained by former international Waldemar de Brito.
Soon all great clubs of Brazil were after him. He choice for de Brito´s
former club Santos FC were he made his debut at age 15. Pelé made his
debut at the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, at only 17 years of age.
He became the youngest player ever to score a goal at the World Cup by
scoring the decisive goal against Wales in the quarterfinals at 17 years
and 239 days. In the semifinals he scored a hat-trick against France in
a match that Brazil would win with 5-2.
In the final against Sweden Pelé scored another goal in the 5-2 victory.
Brazil became World Champion and Pelé was the greatest revelation of
the tournament.
In Brazil's first match of the 1962 World Cup against Mexico, Pelé
assisted the first goal and scored the second goal. It looked like it
was going to be Pelé's tournament again, but it wasn't. Pelé was hiding a
groin injury to keep playing, but this became visible at Brazil's
second match against Czechoslovakia. Pelé had just shot on the post and
tried to shoot the reflected ball but injured himself.
He was forced off for the rest of the tournament, despite that Brazil
won the tournament due to a great Garrincha.
Pelé played his last World Cup in 1970 at age 29. Pelé scored one goal
in Brazil´s first match against Czechoslovakia which was won with 4-1.
Pelé nearly scored with a header against England but Gordon Banks saved
spectacularly. Against Romania Pelé scored twice in the 3-0 victory
against Romania and Brazil was is in the quarterfinals. They won the
quarterfinal against Peru with 4-2, Pelé did not score.
In the 3-1 victory against Uruguay in the semifinals Pelé was involved
with the last 2 goals. Brazil dominated the final against Italy, Pelé
opened the score with a header 1-0. The match was won with 4-1, the
final goal being one of the most famous goals, showing Brazil's class at
that World Cup.
Pelé became the only player ever who won the World Cup thrice.
Pelé ended his career in the US at the New York Cosmos as a "ambassador
for football". He remains one of the greatest players ever. He was great
in all aspects of the game, he was great in heading, dribbling but
above all shooting the ball with both legs. This is why he scored more
than 1200 goals.
Maradona earned a transfer to European top club FC Barcelona were he
would stay 2 seasons and score 38 goals in 58 matches.
His last match for Barcelona was in the final of the Copa del Rey in
1984 against Athletic Bilbao. Maradona had just been recovered from an
injury caused by a terrible tackle by one of Biblao's players.
In the final Maradona gets tackled again, this time he gets angry and
kicks a Bilbao player causing a fight to start. Barcelona losses the
match with 1-0 and Maradona leaves Camp Nou, signing a contract with
Napoli.
It is at Napoli where he will have the best period of his career,
winning Napoli's first Italian Championship in 1987 and repeating it in
1990. In 1989 Napoli wins the UEFA Cup by beating VfB Stuttgart in the
final with 2-1, Maradona scoring one of the goals.
However the most brilliant part of his career was at the 1986 FIFA World
Cup where he wins the tournament with Argentina. The most famous match
of the tournament being the quarterfinal against England (2-1). It is in
this match where Maradona scores twice, the first goal being a handball
of which he would later say it was "The hand of god". His second after
an amazing dribble in which he passes 5 England defenders and goalkeeper
Shilton.
Maradona would later say in one of his interviews "In that game no one
could have stopped me, not even Mike Tyson". Maradona continued to play
well that tournament by scoring two amazing goals against Belgium (2-0)
in the semifinals and winning the final against West Germany with 3-2.
Maradona had a great influence in the Argentinian victory by scoring 5
goals and making 5 assists. He won the Golden Ball for best player of
the tournament.
After the 1990 FIFA World Cup in which Argentina lost the final with 3-2
against West Germany, Maradona failed for a drugs test for cocaine and
was banned for 15 months. He left Napoli in 1992 to play for Sevilla. In
1993 he left Sevilla and went to Newell's Old Boys where he would play 5
matches. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup Maradona was back for a moment by
scoring a goal against Greece in the group stage. After that match
Maradona was sent home for failing a drug test.
