Former Portuguese international Rui Rodrigues, champion of Benfica, died this Friday at the age of 80. The Lisbon club, Academica Coimbra and Vitoria de Guimarães joined in mourning the former player.
“Sport Lisbon and Benfica expresses its sincere condolences and joins in the pain of the family of Rui Rodrigues, the former player who died today at the age of 80. Ruy Rodrigues leaves behind a legacy of excellence, elegance and excellence on the pitch and integrity, diligence and support off it,” says Benfica.
The centre-back represented the Eagles for three seasons and was part of the unbeaten domestic championship team when Jimmy Hagan’s Benfica won the title in 1972/73 with 28 wins and two draws.
“He won two championships and three Cups of Honour, and was part of an unforgettable European Cup campaign that ended only in the semi-finals of the competition against Johan Cruyff’s Ajax,” recalls the Lisbon club.
Academica, whom Rui Rodrigues represented for 12 seasons (1962/1971 and 1976/1979), also expressed “deep regret” over the death of the former defender, recalling that the central defender played in the 1969 Portuguese Cup final.
During his career, the Mozambique-born defender also wore the colors of Vitoria de Guimarães between 1974 and 1976 before returning to the Briosa club where he began his playing career.
“The Vitória Sports Club expresses deep regret at the death of its former player Rui Rodrigues at the age of 80,” Guimarães said, recalling that the defender was a national team player and represented the national team 12 times.
Portuguese Football Federation President Fernando Gomes also recalled Rui Rodrigues’s journey and also expressed sadness over the death of the former player, who was the victim of a long illness.
The director lamented the “disappearance of references from Benfica and the national team, expressing his deepest condolences to the family and friends of the former Portugal international.”
Rui Rodrigues spent part of his career at Academic and Benfica with former international Arthur Jorge, who died early on Thursday, aged 78, also from a long illness.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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