Eusebio
Portuguese forward widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the 1960s; former Portugal World Cup all-time top scorer with 9 goals until Ronaldo surpassed him.
Last refreshed: 24 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Which record did Eusébio set in 1966 that Ronaldo finally broke 60 years later?
Timeline for Eusebio
Ronaldo scores at a sixth World Cup
2026 FIFA World CupBackground
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira held Portugal's World Cup scoring record for 60 years until Cristiano Ronaldo broke it on 23 June 2026 with his brace against Uzbekistan. Eusébio's 9 goals at the 1966 World Cup in England made him tournament top scorer and remain the benchmark against which every Portuguese striker is measured.
Born in Mozambique in 1942, Eusébio joined Benfica in 1960 and became the club's greatest ever player, winning 11 Primeira Liga titles and the 1962 European Cup. Nicknamed "the Black Panther", he scored 733 goals in 745 professional appearances and won the Ballon d'Or in 1965. His 4 goals against North Korea in the 1966 quarter-final are one of the most celebrated individual performances in World Cup history.
His legacy in Portuguese football is foundational. The record he set in 1966 outlasted generations of successors and only fell to an athlete widely considered the greatest Portuguese player ever produced, when Ronaldo's sixth World Cup appearance produced his landmark brace. A bronze statue of Eusébio stands outside Benfica's Estádio da Luz.
How many goals did Eusébio score at the 1966 World Cup?
What record did Ronaldo break that belonged to Eusébio?
Who was Eusébio and why is he famous in Portuguese football?
When did Eusébio die?
