Portugal legend Eusebio sits out Euro semi

27 June 2012 22:17

Portugal legend Eusebio on Wednesday sat out the country's Euro 2012 semi-final against Spain after returning from the tournament with high blood pressure, his doctors said.

The 70-year-old "is always a bit nervous when he goes to Benfica and Portugal matches... so he needs to stay calm at the moment", said Joao Paulo Gama, spokesman for the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon, where he was admitted for new medical tests.

Eusebio was in Poland as an ambassador for the Portugal Football Federation (FPF) during Euro 2012 and was taken to hospital on Saturday evening after falling ill.

He was discharged from a hospital in Poznan, western Poland, earlier on Wednesday and flown home under medical supervision as a precaution.

The Portuguese media have been closely tracking his health since he was treated for pneumonia last January and a previous bout of high blood pressure in February.

Nicknamed "The Black Panther", Eusebio made his name as a player for Benfica, helping them win the forerunner of the Champions League, the European Cup, in 1962.

He won the Ballon d'Or in 1965 and led Portugal to a third-place finish in the 1966 World Cup, where he was top goalscorer.

Source: AFP