“Benfica’s success against Real Madrid is the designation of an extraordinary generation of soccer players”

Last Friday, May 2, 63 years of age Benfica This will announce the two -time champion Europe When loser Real Madrid 5-3 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Neither is a ‘hat-trick’ of Ferenc puskás This is enough to stop the Eagles. The meringue team started better and won 0-2 to 23 minutes, but the Benfica He was able to tie it before the rest. In the second part, Eusébio and Coluna They resolve the encounter and sealed a historical success. One year earlier, Portuguese was imposed FC Barcelona (3-2) to the final Berna, Swiss.

António Simões, the left of that group, is an European champion with only 18 years, 4 months and 24 days. To date, no continental title has been conquered at an earlier age. Now, with 81 years, in exclusively communicating with World of sportThe historic Portugueler Portugueler remembers hoping in front of one of the best teams of all time. Currently, of that legendary generation, only four survivors remain: Simões, José Augusto, Fernando Cruz and Mário João.

When did the period start, is there any general idea that it is possible to revive the European title?

“Logically, when one looks back, so many years have passed … Sometimes it’s hard to answer the questions they ask. Still, I’m young, I’m only 18 years old.Pereira Costa (goalie), German, José águas, Mário Colunaetc – but also us, the youngest, like Eusébio Me too. And also to others, those who have little name, but left the skin to be champions for the second time. I speak of Mário João, ÂNGELO, Fernando CruzAll the people who worked a lot, and with whom I learned so much. I have two schools. One is Mario Coluna, José águas, Costa Pereira, the most experienced, who taught me to grow, for their status and age. And then I learned from Mario João, Fernando Cruz, â € œGelo and Company. “

“How can you be humble and wise playing football? And show such a decision, delivery and love of what has been done? That’s what they have shown. Without fear! That word, the deep feeling of what it means to have colleagues who are not afraid of anything: neither Real Madridni Di stéfanoni Geno Not yet. Well, those people played, he acted, faced as if there was no difficulty, regardless of the status of the great players in front. They have to fight, run and, above all, have confidence that they will achieve it. They are the great example of how, with little, much to do. How can you be a champion. “

We will go to the final. But first, what about the campaign? What does the way to the final and the final self remembers?

“Well, I will never forget, somehow, the tie against the German champion, the 1. FC Nürnberg. At that time it was called the European champions. That’s the real Champions League, not like today. Because now there are many non -champions and participate in the same. At that time only the champion of each country would go. At the first leg we went to Nuremberg. Covered with snow. An incredible thing … and scary at the same time. We lost 3-1. A dangerous result, as the two goals need to be monitored. “

In return, at 23 minutes we won 4-0! The hell of light He was born at that time. Now there is no hell in ‘Status da Luz’, now something else. That tie marked me deeply, because before coming to half an hour we had tracked the difference. We won that game 6-0! 6-0 in the German champion!? Are we joking or what? It is worth remembering that to this day, Nürnberg – after Bayern Munich – remains a club with the most German champion titles. And now it’s in the second. This is something that will never be erased. “

And then Tottenham came …

“Yes! Another great club, another massive team, the Tottenham. With half a dozen international. Incredible. That tie was very difficult. We won Lisbon 3-1 and we lost 2-1. Then we have to defend as mad, prevent it like … a demonic madness. But we did it. “

And the final? How is it? What memories do you keep that glorious day?

“The final is the most marked with me. There are little details … And it all starts even when the game starts. The two equipment is aligned, each with their arbitral trio, and I look at my left … and I see Di stéfano, Puskás and Geno I had 18 years and I thought: “But what am I doing here? How do I get out of here?” And there I also feel huge protection, extraordinary support. Whom? Of adults: “Come on, kid, come on!” They told me. Very simple words. In the vocabulary of that time. But see what to understand, what to understand the veterans to the youngest. There is always a purpose to encourage us, to grow. “You have to grow up. Today is the day you need to grow up.” And that logically is an important help, no doubt. And then, during the game, one forgets everything, gets in a way in the game … eleven against eleven and we’ll see. This is not as the Germans say, “eleven against the eleven and eventually Germany won” [risas]. This time it wasn’t like that. “

How is it coming to Lisbon, how did people receive you?

“That has marked me a life.

After all, Benfica didn’t beat any team …

“Exactly! You have to look back and try to feel, think – especially for the youngest – which means champion of Europe Twice in a row, beaten Real Madrid To all legendary players. And do this with a ‘boster’ of Portuguese. All of that is a rare moment. And what does it mean to win the Real Madrid? A team that came from having five consecutive champions in Europe. During the 1960/61 he was removed by Barcelona at the first spin. And the following year, he returned to the final … and disappeared against Benfica. Benfica’s success against Real Madrid is the confirmation and designation of an extraordinary generation of soccer players. From that moment on, Portugal began to be on the Map of European and World football. “

Is it true that Eusébio, when he changed his shirt with Di Stéfano, hid it inside his pants so they wouldn’t steal it?

“This is true! [risas]. In all the hustle and the crowd, thousands -thousands and thousands of people, I thought with a shirt of Di stéfano In their hands, something can be taken and lost, of course. Eusébio Not only had the football intelligence to play. Eusébio He was struggling, he wasn’t too taught, but he was very smart.

Then see her cunning. He thought: “Well, I have a treasure here, I won’t let anyone away it away from me,” so he put it in his pants, “no one will handle it with me” [risas]. What is missing, unless Miss World appears, that’s another story! [risas]. Then, he went to the shoulders of the people and all that madness. But why Eusébio I wanted to change the shirt Di stéfano? Why did everything happen? We’re going to the great reason, the only reason Eusébio wants to keep the Di Stéfano’s t -shirt: Because for him, Di Stéfano is the best of all. He wants to keep the player’s shirt the best of all.

That’s the reason. I have, not a lightweight, but the status to tell the truth, because of the relationship I felt, with me Eusébio. There are things I will bring to me. Others share them with people. Of what is my link for more than 50 years including Eusébio. Because it’s more than football and then I’ll be sure of you. For EusébioShe has that dream, which will get the shirt of Di stéfanoAnd then, eventually, the three of us were here.

By the time when the Manuel Vilinho He is president of Benfica (2000-2003), wine Di stéfano With the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérezand we all had lunch, I, Eusébio, Di stéfano and the two presidents of the two great clubs. This is a memorable moment. I saw the brightness in the eyes of Eusébio With your idol, Di stéfano. Then they together in the presentation of Cristiano Ronaldo In it Real MadridIn 2009.

And then, in a sad situation, which is the death of Di stéfano, A few months after the death of Eusébio (Eusébio He died on January 5, 2014 and Di stéfano On July 7 of the same year). The president of Real Madrid He insisted, and at that time the President of Benfica, Luís Filipe Vieirahe fully agreed that the Benfica He has the moral obligation to be institutional present. The great king of football, called Di stéfano“

And eventually, the curse is not true …

“No! That’s it, that’s a story. Here are some things going on, I don’t know if in other countries too, but here I can speak from my own experience. As the Portuguese expression says,” Maria joined others. “That is, in this case, when something begins to say many times, something lies, and becomes true. That is just a lie, man never Béla Guttmann He said that, whether privately (“or in 100 years a team in Portuguese would be two European two -time champions, and Benfica I had never won a glass of European champions” was the so -called Hungarian coach phrase).

They started to say that because the Benfica lost the following finals in the last years, and then began to say that the Lord Béla Guttmann I created that curse. That has nothing to do with his removal SPORT LISBON and BENFICA After conquering the European two -time championship. This is a completely different story. The true story is the Lord Béla GuttmannWhen the second win Cup of champions in Europe consecutively, make contractual requests inconsistent with the size and economic or financial capacity of Benfica. And the Benfica Not only had an attitude of recognition of the Lord Béla GuttmannAlthough he would not say what he had requested, but not treated in the best way, and the Lord Béla Guttmann He considered that, from what he had done to the club, the treatment should be another. And he broke. Had a fissure between both parties, and Béla GuttmannThat was a very high and financial independent person, decided to leave.

There are clubs in the world where Benfica It has a wonderful history connection. Not only in the technical or professional aspect, not only in the cultural aspect, but also in the emotional aspects. She is Real Madrid, Santos and Manchester United. These clubs are part, and still part today, what a club growing is almost bigger than their home country. “