Artur Santos: European Cup winner with Benfica | OneFootball

Artur Santos would have turned 95 today. Born in Paço de Arcos, on the outskirts of Lisbon, the legendary Benfica defender joined the Club while still a teenager. In 1949/50, the season Benfica won the Latin Cup, he played occasionally for the first team, standing out as a regular starter for the reserve side.

In the following season he began to be used regularly in the defense led by Félix and became an undisputed starter in 1951/52, a status he kept, with the exception of 1957/58, until his penultimate season wearing the eagle on his chest. 1960/61 would be Artur’s farewell season, after a brilliant career filled with titles.

He represented the Eagles on 382 occasions (286 in official competitions), over 12 seasons, captaining the team 70 times. He began by playing mostly on the right side of the defense, with some appearances on the left when needed. With the arrival of Otto Glória in 1954, he settled into the center of the defensive line, though he occasionally returned to the right, namely in his final season.

He helped the Club win the national championship in the debut season of the dearly missed Brazilian coach, in 1954/55. He would go on to become champion again in 1957, 1960 and 1961, the last two already under the guidance of Béla Guttmann. He also contributed to the conquest of five Portuguese Cups. And, as team captain, he was part of the memorable European campaign that culminated in José Águas lifting in Bern, for the first time in the Club’s history, the European Cup trophy.

Benfica awarded him a testimonial after he ended his playing career (a friendly against Switzerland’s La Chaux-de-Fonds, in October 1961), and he continued to serve the Reds as a youth coach. He continued his managerial career elsewhere until he returned to the Club, which he had never truly left as a supporter and member, to represent it so well through Sport Lisboa e Saudade, today called Sport Saudade e Benfica, the bastion of the "red" glories and Benfica’s mystique.

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