Eusebio

RIP to Eusebio, before my time but still an all time legend.

I'm sure some of the older posters like Redprint can tell us what he was like.





Wiz, Massive or Angelic can you merge this one onto Cideraboads thread please

 

The greatest player that I saw play live rather than on TV.

Just like Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore who were similarly revered, the whole Portuguese nation adored him irrespective of their own club loyalties.

Muito obrigado pelas memorias e nunca esquecido.

 

A portuguese legend, great player, but most of all, one of the most sporting. RIP Eusebio.

 

Agree about one of the most sporting - he applauded Stepney when he made a save against him.

Not only a great player but a fine man

 

'A portuguese legend, great player, but most of all, one of the most sporting. RIP Eusebio'
'Agree about one of the most sporting - he applauded Stepney when he made a save against him'
Spot on Guys.

'Redprint can tell us what he was like' - Older poster ? What are you like RODney.

Was 16 when he lit up the World Cup in '66. We beat them in the semi, hell of a game.
'I was there' at Wembley 2 years later for the European Cup Final Man Utd v Benfica.
Had £4 tickets sat behind the Royal Box (Dad was a great footballer and had the right contacts).
Eusebio had fantastic balance, ability and a hell of a shot on him, and after Stepney made a brilliant save (turning point of the game) Eusebio just stopped playing and went over to congratulate him.
Other memories from that day was watching Sir Ivor win the Derby at Epsom en route and Bobby Charlton in floods of tears embracing the great Matt Busby when the final whistle went.

 

Great ambassador for the sport and a gentleman by all accounts.

I was too young to appreciate most of his World Cup exploits in '66 but in a world where the word legend is tossed around willy nilly, it does apply to him.

RIP Eusebio

 

I have very fond memories of one of the greats of the game and his passing makes me sad because there are few footballers of his type left in the game any more.

My biggest memory was when I was stood behind the goal at Wembley when England played Portugal in the 1966 World Cup semi-final and as he left the field, after losing to England, he embraced Booby Charlton and the two of them were crying like babies and that was down to their overwhelming respect for each other, a rare commodity these days. Another happening that put him at the top of any league of gentlemen in the sport was when Portugal were playing North Korea in the quarterfinal whilst I was watching England defeat Argentina at Wembley in another quarter final match. The score went up on the board at half time that North Korea were beating Portugal 3-0 and the crowd gasped thinking that the score was obviously incorrectly reversed, but they were wrong. When I got home that evening and watched the match on Match of the Day I was shocked to see Eusebio single handedly win the tie for Portugal who went on to beat North Korea 5-3 and move on to play England in the semi-final.

Anyone who saw this man could have nothing but respect for him because he showed total commitment for his entire career and today the sport of football has lost a remarkable man. Rest in Peace.

 

Great ambassador for football, could teach some of today's overpaid, overhyped up their own arse fotballers a thing or two about manners and humility.

 

With you on that one redexile.

 

A great player who played joyful football. Supreme skills, great shot,
a smile; and all done with a fine spirit of sportsmanship.

 

RP remember all that, you were 16 i was 22, it was my 70th birthday yesterday, officially old now, but still going strong, memories ay, blimey i have a few.

 

I was 7 when the 66 world cup was on, so more remember the 68 European Cup final and him playing for Benfica- A great player of his day. Remember the highlights of a game where Portugal were 0-3 down to North Korea and he turned it around with 4 goals in a 5-3 win.

 

Happy belated 70th AD and I will be joining you on March 3rd this year. Like fine wine we mature with age don't we? I had 2 season tickets for the entire group in which England were placed plus for the quarters, semis and the final in order to impress my girlfriend at the time. However somehow she got pregnant and had just given birth prior to the matches and I had a free season ticket going spare.

Oh, and by the way, we have been married for 48 years this year so I must have done something right along the way and that probably includes being a Bristol City supporter.

 

Now I remember how it happened - a week in Teignmouth methinks!

 

As an addition to my opening post, I saw Eusebio at Wembley against England in the 1961 World Cup qualifier for the 1962 finals in Chile.
He was just nineteen years of age and absolute
Ly awesome skill, pace, awareness of situations and those teammates around him. But above all, jut like our Big John, a footballer with a great sense of dignity and respect for his opponents.
Living in Portugal for the last eight years, I came to understand how special a person he was for all Portuguese including non football fans. Yet many in the very rural area I lived in would never have seen him play live or even on TV because electricity was not installed into remote areas until the mid Seventies.
It made me appreciate my young days in England when I had the opportunity to see such players in the flesh. Like the Rest of Europe team that played England in 1963, FA Centenary, with di Stefano, Yashin, Kopa etc.
And to see the top British stars like Billy Wright and Stan Matthews. I'll stop rambling on now!

 

'the 66 final, I believe it was played on a Sunday'

Some of my mates, not football fans, couldn't wait and went on down to Weymouth to pitch tents for our holiday as we went into extra time.
Could have been a Sunday, but I thought it was a Saturday.

 

Pretty sure it was on a Saturday because I don't think Sunday games were allowed in those days. Nice to see that religious niceties helped save the country from ruin.

 

30th July was a Saturday, and how do I know? I was born Saturday 2nd July so I was celebrating my 4th week being born

 

Just popped out a few months before you then, and by the way it will be 48yrs married for me in March to, blimey mate thats a long time with the same women, but hey wouldn't change her for the world.