Guilherme Espírito Santo

Guilherme Santa Graça Espírito Santo, best known as Espírito Santo (30 October 1919 – 25 November 2012) was a Portuguese footballer and athlete.^[1] He played as a forward center or as a right winger. He is notable for his run with Portuguese giants S.L. Benfica. Espírito Santo is of Angolan descent.

Career

He started his career at S.L. Benfica in 1936. In the late 1930s, a game was particularly memorable in Espírito Santo's career, after losing to FC Porto in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup Semi-final (1-6), in the second leg benfica was winning by 6–0 with two goals from Espírito Santo. A humiliated Porto squad decided to leave the field at the 75-minute of the game. Espírito Santo spent two seasons away from the game due to serious illness (from 1941 to 1943). He ended his career in 1950.

National team

He was a Portugal National Football Team player for 8 times and scored a goal.

Playing style

Espírito Santo, was the typical African player. He was fast, agile, and had a lot of technique. Fellow national team player, and club rival Peyroteo, said that in spite of scoring less goals than him, Espírito Santo was a more complete player.

Athletics

He also represented Benfica in High jump, Long Jump and Triple Jump athletics competitions. For 20 years (1940–1960) he was the Portuguese recordist of high jump. He used to train all by himself without coach assistance, and he used to enter these competitions just for fun. At one point the Benfica board didn't allow Espírito Santo to practise athletics anymore since they wanted him exclusively in Football.

Honours and awards

Benfica

4× Portuguese Liga 1936/37, 1937/38, 1944/45 and 1949/50
3× Portuguese Cup 1939/40, 1943/44 and 1948/49

Benfica (athletics)

Portugal High Jump Record - (1,88m) from 1940-1960
Portugal Long Jump Record - (6,89m) from 1938–1940
Portugal Triple Jump Record - (14,015m) from 1938–1940

References

External links