Toni has reasons to smile as Benfica mark a special date | OneFootball

October 14th is an important date for the Benfica universe. António Oliveira, better known as Toni, celebrates his birthday today. An undeniable name in the history of Benfica during the second half of the 20th century, he celebrates his 79th birthday, The Portuguese athlete was both a player and a coach with the club.

Born on October 14, 1946, in Anadia, his entire life has been connected to football, which also includes his son, who shares his name and is also a coach. His career began at Anadia, in the 1962/63 season, where he joined the under-19 squad of his hometown club. It was there that he began to shine, eventually catching the interest of Benfica.

Before joining the Clube da Luz, which happened in the 1968/69 season, the legend of Glorioso spent a few seasons in Coimbra, serving the historic Académica. Once donning the eagle on his chest, Toni became one of Benfica's main figures from the late 60s to the mid-70s, when he moved to the United States of America. However, he returned to the cathedral, still as a player, at the start of the 80s, where he ended his football career.

However, it is known that Toni's connection with Benfica did not end with his playing career. After hanging up his boots, the former Benfica player began working as an assistant coach in the 1982/83 season, a position he held until the 1987/88 season, when he took over as head coach of the eagles. He did so again between 1992 and 1994, and his third stint on the bench occurred between 2000 and 2002.

With a connection of over four decades with Benfica, both as a player and coach, Toni became one of the great figures in the club's pantheon. In total, Toni Oliveira, as a player, amassed 393 games with the Sacred Mantle, scoring 24 goals. As a footballer and coach of the eagles, the legend won 10 national championships, six Portuguese Cups, and one Super Cup.

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