Speech by Rui Costa at the opening of the exhibition “One for All and All for the Stadium”

SPEECH

The President of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Rui Costa, was present on Monday, December 9, at the inauguration of the exhibition “One for All and All for the Stadium”, at the Benfica Museum - Cosme Damião, and evoked the remarkable mobilization of members in the construction of the old Sport Lisboa e Benfica Stadium, whose inauguration took place 70 years ago.

"At a time when we are increasing our home to 70,000 seats, at a time when we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the inauguration of the Estádio da Luz, I will end with the lesson that this historic moment left us. It was the Benfiquistas, from the leaders to the fans, who, under the motto E Pluribus Unum, made the construction of this stadium possible and the fulfillment of a dream pursued for decades by the Club, since its foundation in Belém," said the President of the Club during the event.

Read here, in full, the speech given by the President of Sport Lisboa e Benfica at the opening of the exhibition “One for All and All for the Stadium - Memories of the Estádio da Luz (1954-2003)”.

"Dear members of the governing bodies,

Benfica's illustrious legends who have done so much for our history,

Benfiquistas,

I would like to congratulate the Benfica Museum Cosme Damião for this excellent initiative: 70 years since the inauguration of the Estádio da Luz.

Evoking the achievements, praising the figures and spreading the story of how Sport Lisboa e Benfica has risen to the level of one of the biggest and best clubs in the world is essential if that status is to be preserved and strengthened.

With passion and enthusiasm for the Benfica cause, but with a permanent respect for our past, we design the Benfica of tomorrow today.

For this reason, I would like to pay tribute and thank all the staff at the Benfica Museum - Cosme Damião and the former players who gave us so much joy and so many nights of glory at the Cathedral.

The centenary journey of our beloved club is both a source of redoubled responsibility and enormous pride.

A journey filled with glory, the result of the commitment and passion of thousands of protagonists and millions of fans.

In the history of national sport, there is certainly no more inspiring episode than the remarkable mobilization of associations around the construction of our Estádio da Luz.

And what a formidable venue Benfica was able to inaugurate in 1954, enlarge a few years later and expand again decisively in the 1980s, consecrating the true Inferno da Luz.

When I think of the Cathedral, I feel immensely privileged. It was in its stands, both in the stadium and in the pavilions, that the love I feel for Sport Lisboa e Benfica flourished.

It was on their pitches that I learned to play football. It was on that wonderful pitch, with its unforgettable nights, surrounded by imposing stands, that I had the greatest honor of my life: playing at the highest level with an eagle on my chest.

The famous mystique came from earlier times, of course, but it was at the Estadio da Luz that it took shape and reached enormous expression.

It's up to us, more than ever, to preserve and nurture this mystique, because that way we'll always be closer to winning and materializing the Benfica ideal of winning. Always win.

As of today, we are perpetuating the place where so many dreams began to be fulfilled. And not only with the opening of this exhibition, which evokes unique moments in our glorious journey, but also with the exact marking of the halfway mark of the Estádio da Luz.

A symbolic mark, not far from the statue of our King Eusébio, full of memories that can now be seen by all Benfiquistas.

As we expand our home to 70,000 seats, at a time when we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the inauguration of the Estádio da Luz, I'll end with the lesson that this historic moment left us with.

It was the Benfiquistas, from the leaders to the fans, who, under the motto E Pluribus Unum, made it possible to build this stadium and fulfill a dream that the club had been pursuing for decades, ever since it was founded in Belém.

The Benfiquistas of the time, together for an ideal, achieved what many at the time said was impossible.

Well then, may we never forget this Benfica strength: together, regardless of how we think and live our Club, we make Benfica unstoppable.

Everyone counts! I emphasize: everyone counts!

Benfiquism is Benfica's greatest asset!

Long live Sport Lisboa e Benfica!"