How many goals did Eusébio score in his career?
Eusébio accumulated 733 goals in 745 matches across his career. At Benfica alone he scored 473 goals in 440 competitive matches, making him the club's all-time top scorer.
Questions about Eusébio
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What awards did Eusébio win at the 1966 FIFA World Cup?
Eusébio won the Golden Boot as the 1966 World Cup's top scorer with nine goals in six appearances. He also received the Bronze Ball and was named in the tournament's All-Star Team.
When did Eusébio win the Ballon d'Or?
Eusébio won the Ballon d'Or in 1965. He was runner-up in both 1962 and 1966, and was nominated on multiple other occasions throughout his career.
Where was Eusébio born and what was his early life like?
Eusébio was born on the 25th of January 1942 in the Mafalala neighbourhood of Lourenço Marques, now Maputo, in Portuguese Mozambique. He grew up in extreme poverty, skipping school to play barefoot football on improvised pitches, and his father died of tetanus when Eusébio was eight years old.
Why did Eusébio never play for a top European club outside Portugal?
Eusébio said he visited António de Oliveira Salazar, Portugal's dictator, in parliament eight times seeking permission to sign with interested European clubs, but Salazar, whom Eusébio called "the godfather", blocked every move. He spent his peak career at Benfica as a result.
How did Eusébio end up at Benfica rather than Sporting CP?
Brazilian former player José Carlos Bauer spotted Eusébio in Lourenço Marques in 1960 and recommended him to Benfica coach Béla Guttmann after São Paulo could not afford the fee. Sporting CP disputed the transfer because Sporting Lourenço Marques was its affiliate, and Benfica even hid Eusébio near Meia Praia beach in the Algarve for twelve days to prevent what it feared was a kidnapping attempt. The transfer was finalised in May 1961 for 400,000 Portuguese escudos.