Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (1942-2014) scored 733 goals in 745 matches and is widely seen as one of the best forwards of all-time.
In fact, he was personally named as the player Cristiano Ronaldo would have liked to play with above all others.
“In my mind I have a lot of players I wanted to play with. But I will choose one from my country, who passed away a few years ago: Eusebio. He is one of the symbols of Portugal, he was an amazing person, he died a few years ago but I wish to play with him in the National Team.”
Here’s a roundup with three of the very best Eusébio rookie cards, including key stats and recent prices.
The Best Eusébio Rookie Cards
You’ll be able to find a range of early Eusébio collectibles released during the 1960’s. We’ve focused on a trio of vintage cards released in 1963.
3. 1963 Sicker Verlag Eusebio RC #284 (eBay)
The 1963 Sicker-Verlag Bundesliga collection is where we begin, featuring an eye-catching profile shot of the forward wrapped with a loud red border. Numbered #284, it lists his team as Portugal, as he made his international debut in 1961.
(By ‘63, Eusebio had already become an important player for Benfica.)
A reasonably famous set, Eusebio and Pele are the key standouts.
Check prices of 1963 Sicker Verlag Eusebio RC on eBay
2. 1963 Calciatori CDC Benfica (eBay)
1963 Panini Calciatori focused on the 32nd season of the Italian football championship, and is packed with many of the greatest players from the era.
Panini were starting to get into their stride, with coloured images and a simple name plate at the bottom.
One of two cards to picture Eusebio from the set, the first features the entire Benfica first XI.
It’s not as popular as the individual RC seen below, but it does show off one of the most successful teams from the 1960’s.
Check prices of 1963 Panini Calciatori Eusebio RC on eBay
1. 1963 Calciatori Eusebio (eBay)
Sticking with 1963 Panini Calciatori, this time we’re looking at Eusebio’s solo option, featuring a simple profile shot of the player.
There are a trio of versions to look for, including one with a blue name plate, and another with a yellow name plate on the front. The final version has a blank back.
Collectors tend to be interested in the reverse, and the Valida versions which sell for a significant premium.
In each packet one card had the word VALIDA or BISVALIDA printed on the back. The Valida cards were one-point premium cards and Bisvalida were worth two two-points, and could be redeemed for prizes.
Check prices of 1963 Panini Calciatori Eusebio RC on eBay
Eusébio Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide
Here are our thoughts on the current state of the market for Eusebio rookie cards.
We’d be wary when buying ungraded copies given the chance you could be buying a reprint, but they do represent some of the cheapest vintage copies you’re likely to find. An alternative would be the 1963 Swedish Rekordmagasinet. It is either hand cut, or shared with rally driver Ewy Rosqvist-von Korff.
Any of the RCs mentioned above are a worthy addition to any vintage collection, but the yellow-name Valida-backed 1963 Panini Calciatori sticker is the rarest by a wide margin. Only two have been graded by PSA, compared to 40 of the Valida-backed blue version.
The Best Eusebio Cards: Buying/Selling Advice
As a legend who passed away in recent years, Eusabio’s cards and stickers have to be seen as one of the safer investments in the hobby.
He’s a real icon of the sport, with a goalscoring record that still holds up in the modern day. For example, his tally of 45 goals in 65 European Cup games is nothing to be sniffed at. It works out to be better than the likes of elite forwards like Kylian Mbappe.