Portugal footballing legend Eusébio, top scorer at the 1966 World Cup, has died at the age of 71.
Born in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique in 1942, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira went on to play 64 times for Portugal, scoring 41 goals in a career that saw him enter the footballing hall of fame.
The Benfica striker's nine goals at the 1966 World Cup in England included four against North Korea. Considered by all as one of the best players of all-time, he scored 733 times in 745 professional matches.
He had been admitted to hospital several times over the past year for the treatment of heart and respiratory problems.
Famed for his blistering acceleration and dazzling dribbling skills, Eusébio was named European Footballer of the Year in 1965.
He helped Benfica win the European Cup in 1962 and was in the side that lost to Manchester United in the 1968 Wembley final.
Eusébio enjoyed 10 league championship victories and five Portuguese cup triumphs in his 15 years at the club and seven times was Portugal's top league scorer.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was among those to pay tribute,
"Always eternal, Eusébio rest in peace," the Real Madrid and former Manchester United striker wrote on Twitter alongside a picture of both men together.
Portuguese national player Luis Figo tweeted: "The king! Great loss for all of us! The greatest!"
Chelsea manager José Mourinho called him one of his country's "great figures."
Mourinho told state broadcaster RTP, "I think he is immortal. We all know what he meant for football and especially for Portuguese football.
RTP quoted his biographer, Joao Malheiro, as saying: "Having followed his life close up and on a daily basis, I was a witness to his health having become very fragile and there were clear signs of this in recent years.
"At the moment though this isn't the most important thing, what's most important is to remember the man who was, and always will be, in the place of the imortals of this country and was clearly of emblematic importance for Portuguese in the 20th century, above all during the 1960s when Portugal lived under a dictatorship."
Nicknamed the Black Panther and the Black Pearl, Eusébio spent most of career with Benfica after moving from the then Portuguese territory Laurenco Marquez, now Mapatu in Mozambique.
The club's fans will be offered the chance to pay their final respects to the player at the Estadio da Luz today.
"Eusébio's body will be brought to the stadium later today and all fans will be able to say goodbye," the spokesman said.
"It's a very sad day for all of us."
The Befica player was a target for poachers from Italian and Spanish clubs, so much so that Portugal's dictator Salazar stepped in to prevent the loss of this vital promoter of national harmony and declared Eusébio to be a 'national treasure' meaning he could not be sold to a foreign club. How this went down with Eusébio is not recorded.
Greg Dyke, chairman of the Football Association in England, said Eusébio and Brazilian striker Pelé were the best-known international footballers in the 1960s.
"He was the Lionel Messi or Ronaldo of his time," Dyke told the BBC News Channel.
"Every generation has great footballers He was clearly a world-class footballer who scored an awful lot of goals. He had a level of natural talent that most players don't have."
Eusébio's goals at the 1966 World Cup helped Portugal to third place. The team then was beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual winners England.
Portugal won all of its group games as title holders Brazil were eliminated in the first round, and Eusebio 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, famously with Eusebio in tears as he left the pitch at the end of the game. But he had captured the hearts of the British public and his figure was soon added to Madame Tussaud's waxwork collection, his name becoming know across the world. Eusébio continued to play at the highest level until 1974, but knee problems had already begun to slow him down.
In 1975, he moved to the North American Soccer League and then returned to Portugal in 1976-77 to play for SC Beira Mar, before further spells in the USA and Mexico.
After his playing career ended, he was an ambassador for Benfica and Portuguese football.
Eusebio factfile-
Born: 25 01 1942 in Mozambique.
Early career: Started with Sporting Lourenco-Marques, a nursery club of Sporting Lisbon but was signed by Benfica for £7,500 at the age of 19.
Benfica: Helped side beat Real Madrid 5-3 in the European Cup final in 1962. Won 10 league championships and five cups in his 15 years at Benfica
Portugal: Scored 41 goals in 64 internationals
Starring roles: Named European Footballer of the Year in 1965 and top scorer at the 1966 World Cup with nine goals
"He was not only a great inspiration but also an important figure in upholding the values, principles and feelings of football, even after finishing his career."
For some vintage footage, click here http://www.jn.pt/PaginaInicial/Desporto/Interior.aspx?content_id=3615703
