Eusebio: “The Black Pearl”

Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, also known as ‘The Black Pearl”, was born in Lourenco marques, Mozambique in 1942. He is considered one of the best football players of his time and is arguably one of the great all-time players. His trademarks were his speed, quick dribble and a fierce, tremendously accurate right-footed strike.

In 1961 he was brought to Portugal by Benfica’s coach Bela Guttman. The 19 year Old Eusebio became immediately a crucial element of the team. Eusebio was simply one-man- attack. He caused trouble to defenders and was unstoppable in the Portuguese league where he scored 319 goals in 313 appearances. He helped Benfica win 11 Portuguese league championships and five domestic cup titles. He also was six times topscorer in the Portuguese league and twice Golden Boot winner as topscorer in European football and European player of the Year.

In 1966 FIFA World Cup the Portuguese national team reached the third place after a memorable performance eliminating the 1958 and 1962 champions: Brazil in the first round of the tournament. Beside the Portuguese squad lost the semifinal against England, people were so impressed by Eusebio’s performances that he was immediately added to Madame’s Tussaud’s collection of waxwork.

“The Black Pearl” would never play in another World Cup again even though he took part in both the 1970 and 1974 qualifying series. In the 1970s Eusebio headed out west to America to play in the North American Soccer League toward the end of his career, he made appearances for a number of clubs in Mexico and USA. After his retirement in 1978, Eusebio has become a constant presence among the Portuguese national team where the players saw him as a sort of inspiration and source of moral support.

During the 2003 UEFA’s Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Portugal by the Portuguese Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.