Mário Coluna was the commanding midfield leader of Benfica’s golden age and the Portugal side that dazzled in the 1960s. Born in Mozambique, he combined power, elegance and a thunderous shot, captaining the great Benfica team that reached a string of European Cup finals and won the trophy.
Known as “o Monstro Sagrado”, the Sacred Monster, he was the beating heart of a side built around Eusébio, and he remains one of the most revered figures in Portuguese football history.