The day a Portuguese legendvisited City

With the death, in the early hours of Sunday morning, of Eusebio, one of the undoubted legends in football, the sport has lost an iconic figure.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jan 2014, 19:57 BST
Eusebio makes the Development Committees European Draw at the Brandywell during the European Cup tie between Derry City and Benfica with Committee members, Danny Wade and Robert Scott.Eusebio makes the Development Committees European Draw at the Brandywell during the European Cup tie between Derry City and Benfica with Committee members, Danny Wade and Robert Scott.
Eusebio makes the Development Committees European Draw at the Brandywell during the European Cup tie between Derry City and Benfica with Committee members, Danny Wade and Robert Scott.

A Portuguese sensation, later to become a world ambassador with his club, Benfica, he was 71.

Individually, he was voted European “Footballer of the Year” in 1965 and following the end of his playing and coaching career, he became Benfica’s life-long ambassador, a title which saw him arrive at Brandywell Stadium back in 1989 when Derry City drew Benfica in the first round European Cup.

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He was also part of the coaching staff of the team, which was then managed by Swede Sven Goran Eriksson who would later go on to manage England.

And, off the pitch, the great man was always available for photographic requests onbehalf of the Candy Stripes.

In fact, he was delighted to have been asked to make the draw for the Derry Development Committee’s all expenses paid trip to the second leg in the Stadium of Light two weeks later.

Eusebio maintained that ambassadorial role right up until his death last weekend.

Related topics:PortugueseDerry CityCandy Stripes