Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) receives the "Golden Boot 2011" award, presented to Europe's best goal scorer, from former Portuguese soccer legend Eusebio, in Madrid on November 4, 2011. Photo: AFP

Portugal soccer legend Eusebio, who was top scorer at the 1966 World Cup, has died from a heart attack at the age of 71, Portuguese media reported Sunday.

The death of the charismatic striker, who was idolized throughout the Portuguese-speaking world and considered one of the sport's greatest players, was confirmed by state television and the country's sports dailies.

Eusebio, whose full name was Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, was European Footballer of the Year in 1965 but won global acclaim a year later at the World Cup in England, where his nine goals helped Portugal reach the semifinals.

He won 64 caps and scored 41 goals for Portugal, records that stood for ­almost two decades before being broken.

Nicknamed the "Black Panther," ­Eusebio was a European Cup winner with Benfica in 1962 and played in three other finals, including the loss to Manchester United at Wembley in 1968.

Eusebio helped Benfica to 11 Portuguese championships and later served as an ambassador for the club. He scored more than 300 league goals for the Lisbon outfit.

"Eusebio will always be eternal. Rest in peace," wrote Cristiano Ronaldo in a message posted on his Facebook ­account.

Eusebio rivaled all-time greats including Brazilian Pele, Argentina's Alfredo di Stefano and England's Bobby ­Charlton.

"I was the best player in the world, top scorer in the world and Europe. I did everything, except win a World Cup," Eusebio said in an interview in 2011, ­recalling his tears after Portugal's loss in the 1966 World Cup semifinal to England.

"He was one of the great figures of Portugal ... We all know what he meant for soccer and especially for Portuguese soccer," ­Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Portugal's state broadcaster RTP.

Eusebio hailed from Lourenco Marques, now Maputo, in colonial ­Mozambique and, as a teenage ­prodigy, was expected to join Benfica's great ­rivals Sporting Lisbon but changed his mind at the last minute.

Even though he played for Portugal, he was widely regarded as the best-known African player of all time, until the emergence in more recent times of Samuel Eto'o and Didier Drogba.

Eusebio ended his career playing in the US but returned to Portugal to ­various roles with Benfica and the Portuguese federation. He was referred to as the "O Rei" (the king) in his later years, enjoying widespread affection.

Agencies - Global Times