Football legend Eusebio hospitalized

Published Dec. 21, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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Football legend Eusebio hospitalized with suspected pneumonia. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Portuguese media reports say former football star Eusebio has been hospitalized with a serious illness.

Broadcaster S.I.C. Noticias and sports paper Record said the 69-year-old former Benfica and Portugal great was taken into intensive care at a Lisbon hospital Wednesday with suspected pneumonia.

A Benfica official said no one was available to comment on the reports. The Portuguese Football Federation said it had no official information.

Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, who was born in Mozambique when it was still a Portuguese colony, became known as the Black Panther for his powerful performances in the 1960s for Benfica and the Portuguese national team.

Eusebio scored 41 goals in 64 games for Portugal.