Was Eusébio one of the greatest footballers of all time? Or has the legacy of the Black Panther grown with the passing of time?

In this episode of The Football History Boys’ How Good Were They?, we examine the career, achievements and legacy of Eusébio da Silva Ferreira — the legendary Benfica and Portugal forward who lit up European football in the 1960s.

From Benfica’s European Cup triumphs to his extraordinary performances at the 1966 World Cup, Eusébio established himself as one of football’s most devastating goalscorers. But how does he compare with the very greatest players in history? And would his reputation be even greater had he played in a more modern era?

We explore Eusébio’s explosive playing style, his remarkable goalscoring record, his Ballon d’Or win in 1965 and his role in Portugal’s memorable run to the 1966 World Cup semi-finals, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with nine goals.

We also discuss the legendary story of Béla Guttmann and the Benfica curse. After leading Benfica to consecutive European Cups in 1961 and 1962, the Hungarian manager left the club amid a reported disagreement with the board. The story goes that he cursed Benfica to 100 years without another European trophy. With Eusébio later visiting Guttmann’s grave before the 1990 European Cup final, it remains one of football history’s most enduring tales.

But did Guttmann really curse Benfica? And how much of the story is football folklore?

As always, we put Eusébio under the microscope with three curveballs, examine his legacy, consider how he compares with other all-time greats and ask the ultimate question: How good was Eusébio, really?

⚽ In this episode:

• Eusébio’s rise from Mozambique to Benfica superstardom
• Benfica’s European Cup victories in 1961 and 1962
• The 1966 World Cup and Portugal’s golden generation
• Eusébio’s Ballon d’Or and his place among football’s greatest goalscorers
• Béla Guttmann, the Benfica curse and the lost European finals
• Eusébio versus Pelé and the all-time greats
• Was Eusébio underrated, overrated or genuinely one of the best ever?

🎙️ How Good Were They? is The Football History Boys’ series examining the careers, abilities and legacies of football’s greatest players, teams and managers. We look beyond the statistics, challenge popular opinion and debate whether the legends of the game truly deserve their reputations.

Subscribe for more football history, forgotten stories, legendary players and debates about the greatest figures ever to play the beautiful game.

📚 From The Football History Boys — award-winning Welsh football history writers and podcasters.

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