Eusebio hospitalised - reports
Benfica have wished a speedy recovery to Eusebio after the Portugal legend was admitted to hospital suffering from bronchial pneumonia.
The 69-year-old is in the care of doctors at the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon but his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.
According to leading Portuguese sport website abola.pt, Eusebio’s condition has been described by the hospital’s medical director Jose Roquete as “not serious but requires hospitalisation”, and a further statement on Eusebio’s condition would be released later.
Benfica were quick to offer their support to arguably the greatest player in the club’s history.
“Benfica wish a speedy recovery to the Black Panther,” read statement on Benfica’s official website, slbenfica.pt.
Eusebio played for nine clubs in a 22-year professional career but it was at Benfica where he forged his reputation as one of the game’s greats, turning out for the club 614 times between 1960 and 1975 and scoring an astonishing 638 goals.
During his time at Benfica Eusebio won 11 Portuguese league titles, five Portuguese Cup titles and the European Cup in 1962.
Despite being born in Mozambique, Eusebio was eligible to play only for Portugal as his homeland was a dependency of the European nation. He scored 41 goals in 64 international appearances between 1961 and 1973, and finished as the top scorer at the 1966 World Cup in England.
Eusebio was also admitted to the Hospital da Luz in 2007 when he underwent a heart operation to prevent a possible stroke.
