Adeus Velho Capitão! Portuguese-Mozambican football icon Mário Wilson dies – Video

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Adeus Velho Capitão! Portuguese-Mozambican football icon Mário Wilson dies – Video

11:00 CAT | 05 Oct 2016

Jornal Noticias (File photo) / Mário Wilson photographed in a tribute in his honour

Mario Wilson, the Portuguese-Mozambican foorballer and coach who rose to fame in Portugal, died on Monday at the age of 86.

Mario Wilson left the then Sporting de Lourenço Marques football club (now Desportivo de Maputo) to play for Sporting in Portugal, with the mission of replacing Fernando Peyroteo, one of the “Five Violins”, in the public affection. He did much more than that: he wrote the lines of a memorable story with his own name.

In Alvalade (Portugal) between 1949 and 1951, the defendeer was crowned national champion (in season) and top scorer at Sporting with 23 goals in his debut season, second only to Benfica’s Julinho (28). He left the green and white to take on the black of Académica where he gained even greater fame, leading the team to the final of the Portugal Cup and a historic second place in the championship. During the 1966/67 season, his team finished just three points behind Benfica.

Wilson completed 317 games (38 of them in Alvalade) and scored 54 goals as a player and 687 games as a coach, proof of his remarkable skills as a leader.

He was commanding on the field, and, off it, made his students look like doctors.

In his 13 years in Académica, Wilson proved to have studied well and to be a master in the art of football. It was there that he earned the nickname ‘Old Captain’, given to him by the mythical Cândido de Oliveira, to whom would become deputy coach. His first coaching experience was in Coimbra and lasted five years (1964 to 1969).

After stints in Belenenses, Tirsense and V. Guimarães, he arrived at the Estadio da Luz (Benfica), where a story of love, admiration and respect was born. He won the league in 1975-76, giving birth to a phrase that still echoes in the minds of the wistful: “He who trains Benfica, risks being a champion.”

In 1978, he became the helmsman of the Portuguese national team. They ultimately failed to qualify for the Euro ’80 and he returned to to take the place of John Mortimore. Benfica finished in 3rd place and, from here, his career suffered a decline.

Wilson played or coached at Academica, Estoril, Boavista, Cova da Piedade, Louletano, Torreense, Olhanense, Agueda and in 1993, at the age of 64, FAR Rabat, his only experience outside Portugal (Morocco). In the 90s Wilson would again wear the Eagles tracksuit as Benfica coach of, as he also did in 1998-99, replacing Manuel José.

Now, 14 days short of his 87th birthday he leaves football poorer for his passing and the world of sport a sadder place – with the consolation of remembering a man who always faced life with a smile. Descansa em Paz, Velho Capitão! (Rest in peace, Old Captain!)