Portuguese soccer legend Eusebio dies aged 71

Portuguese great Eusebio, acknowledged as one of soccer's greatest ever strikers, has died aged 71, Portuguese media reported on Sunday.

The 'Black Panther', whose full name was Esuebio da Silva Ferreira was born in Mozambique but made his name as a fearsome striker for Portugal at the 1966 World Cup in England, where he top-scored with nine goals to help his team finish third.

He won the European Cup with Benfica in 1962 and was named European Footballer of the Year in 1965.

The Portuguese sports daily A'Bola said Eusebio had died of a cardiac arrest in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Image: Football legend Eusebio

Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

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