Shéu made his debut 46 years ago

October 15, 1972: the day in which Shéu Han made his official debut with the Benfica shirt, winning in that season, the first of nine National Championships.

Despite arriving at Luz in 1970, the debut only happened two years later, in Barreiro, in a team with names such as Henrique, Humberto Coelho, Simões, Nené or Eusébio.

At Estádio D. Manuel de Mello, Shéu started the match on the bench – together with Artur Jorge –, but at 80’, Jimmy Hagan made the last substitution of the encounter:  Toni came off and Shéu Han came on. With goals from Humberto Coelho (55’) and a brace from Nené (61’ and 64’), the Reds won the encounter from matchday 6 against Barreirense by 0-3, in a season in which they won the 19^th National title of the club’s history, the second league title in a row.

Shéu Han said goodbye to the football pitches on May 21, 1989, like a true champion, belonging to a restrict batch of players who have only played for one emblem during their entire football professional career. With Benfica – where he spent 19 years as a player –, he racked up a total of 489 matches, 38 358 minutes, 45 goals and 17 titles: 9 National Championships, 6 Portuguese Cups and 2 Super Cups.

When he hung up his boots, Shéu did not say goodbye to Benfica, working as technical secretary of football, a role he said goodbye to on July 7, 2018 – upon his own request–, remaining long-standing Club.

Text: Filipa Fernandes Garcia

Pics: Archive / SL Benfica