Eusébio’s shirt sparks debate: Benfica legend lives on | OneFootball

Portugal defeated Armenia 9-1, securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The National Team wore a special jersey in tribute to Eusébio, a legend of Benfica. Nicolai Cacao, responsible for the development of Puma's jerseys, explained how the concept was conceived.

"The idea came up in conversation with some colleagues internally and also with the Federation itself. We knew it was the 60th anniversary of Eusébio's Ballon d'Or win. We understood it was the perfect moment to mark this date. And, on the other hand, it was indeed the perfect timing because we started working with Portugal at the beginning of the year. It was the perfect opportunity to launch a special jersey at the end of the year, in anticipation of the World Cup. We developed the idea internally with Portugal and started creating ideas and concepts," he said.

Nicolai Cacao also recalled the impact of the Benfica legend: "When you have a story as strong as Eusébio's, something so rich and with such a strong sentiment in the Portuguese community and the world, it becomes easy. We focused on the aspect of the Black Panther".

"The jersey had to be black - especially since there were times when Portugal played in black, albeit not frequently. We knew the color would be appreciated. The next step was to ask: 'how can we add details related to the Ballon d'Or anniversary?' Hence the golden details. When you have a black jersey with golden details, it's an easy combination that creates an impactful story," he added.

The jersey is a limited edition and was a sales success, with Nicolai Cacao admitting that new collaborations may arise: "There are many other stories to tell with the Portuguese Football Federation and with important players. We've done it with Eusébio this time, maybe we can do something more about him in the future. We will continue to look at this story, but also at other players. So yes, we will continue to launch things with the Federation because there are countless stories to tell".

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.