166-707: Sport Lisboa e Benfica ( Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈpɔɾ liʒˈβoɐ i βɐ̃jˈfikɐ] ), commonly known as Benfica , is a professional football club based in Lisbon , Portugal, that competes in the Primeira Liga , the top flight of Portuguese football . Founded on 28 February 1904, as Sport Lisboa , Benfica is one of the " Big Three " clubs in Portugal that have never been relegated from Primeira Liga, along with rivals Sporting CP and FC Porto . Benfica are nicknamed As Águias (The Eagles), for
332-628: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
498-492: A 1–1 draw against Atlético Madrid . Bayern Munich is also the first club to win all of their matches (without needing extra time) in a Champions League season, winning 11 out of 11 in their successful 2019–20 campaign. Bayern Munich hold the record of 21 consecutive home wins in the European Cup era. The run began with a 2–0 win against Saint-Étienne in the first leg of the 1969–70 first round. The run ended with
664-404: A 1–1 draw in the second leg of their semi-final tie against Barcelona on 3 May 2011. This run continued into the entirety of the next two seasons, with Madrid scoring in all twelve matches of both their 2011–12 and 2012–13 Champions League campaigns. The club then scored in the first nine games of their 2013–14 campaign (six group stage games, both legs of the round of 16 and the first leg of
830-479: A 1–1 draw to Liverpool in the second leg of the 1980–81 semi-finals. In the Champions League era, the record stands at 16 games and is also held by Bayern Munich. The run began with a 1–0 win against Manchester City in the first match of the 2014–15 group stage and reached the 16th win after a 5–1 victory over Arsenal in the 2016–17 round of 16, then it ended after a 2–1 loss to Real Madrid in
996-483: A 36-year-old treble . Internationally, a year after they had consecutively reached the Champions League knockout phase for the first time in their history, Benfica suffered their biggest loss in the competition, 5–0 to Basel , and went on setting the worst Portuguese group stage campaign . Following negative results in 2018–19 , coach Bruno Lage led Benfica to their 37th champions title while achieving
1162-411: A 3–0 win against Red Star Belgrade in their first group stage match, after losing 1–3 against Liverpool in the previous season's round of 16. The run continued in their other five group matches and all five knockout matches, as they defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1–0 in the final . Bayern won the next four matches of the following season's group stage, before their streak ended on 1 December 2020 with
1328-458: A 4–1 defeat to AGF Aarhus on 16 September 1987. The streak ended when they beat the same team 1–0 two weeks later. In the Champions League era, the record stands at 13 games and is held by Marseille . Marseille's run began with a 2–1 loss to Inter Milan in the round of 16 on 13 March 2012, and continued up to a 2–0 defeat to Porto on 25 November 2020. The streak ended with Marseille's 2–1 win over Olympiacos on 1 December 2020. FCSB holds
1494-493: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1660-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1826-574: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
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#17327722878191992-531: A construction cost of €162 million, roughly €25 million more than planned. Like its predecessor, the Estádio da Luz is officially named Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. A UEFA category four stadium , it hosted several matches of UEFA Euro 2004 , including the final , and was the venue for the UEFA Champions League finals in 2014 and 2020 . Built with a seating capacity of 65,647,
2158-505: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
2324-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2490-640: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
2656-529: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
2822-410: A neutral venue, and as such are not classified as away games. AEK Athens holds the record for the most consecutive draws: 7 draws starting from 17 September 2002 until 17 September 2003. Jeunesse Esch holds the record for the most consecutive defeats in the competition, with 16 straight losses. The streak began with a 2–0 first round loss against Liverpool on 13 October 1973, and continued up to
2988-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
3154-645: A record 38 Primeira Liga titles, a record 26 Taça de Portugal , a record 7 Taça da Liga , 9 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and 3 Campeonato de Portugal. Internationally , they won the Latin Cup in 1950 and back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962 – both unique feats in Portuguese football – and were runners-up at the Intercontinental Cup in 1961 and '62 , at the European Cup in 1963 , '65 , '68 , '88 and '90 , and at
3320-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
3486-475: A row. From 2021–22 to '22–23 , with president Rui Costa , Benfica lost a league cup final for the first time and were third in the league before coach Roger Schmidt led them to their 38th league title and a second consecutive place in the Champions League quarter-finals . Benfica's crest is composed of an eagle, as a symbol of independence, authority and nobility, positioned atop a shield with red and white colours, symbolizing bravery and peace respectively;
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#17327722878193652-576: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
3818-559: A study by Movimento Por Um Futebol Melhor, Benfica had 270,000 members and was the biggest club in the world in membership terms. On 31 March 2015, Benfica reported having 246,401 members. After a scheduled renumbering (done at least every ten years) by the club in August 2015, the number decreased to 156,916. By 9 October 2021, Benfica had over 250,000 members, of which 115,681 were eligible to vote in club elections that day. Benfica has rivalries with Sporting CP and FC Porto, with whom it forms
3984-545: A three-year sponsorship deal worth up to €30 million to become Benfica's main jersey sponsor. Then in December, Benfica sold the TV rights of their first-team home matches as well as Benfica TV's broadcasting and distribution rights to NOS in a three-year deal, receiving €40 million per season, with the option to extend the contract to a maximum of ten seasons, totalling €400 million. Days later, Luís Filipe Vieira said
4150-527: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting
4316-564: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
4482-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
4648-406: A voting method that has been criticized by members of Benfica, including presidential candidates, and outsiders – and since 2010 only people with 25 years of continuous membership as an adult – that is, effective members aged at least 43 – can run for president of Benfica. Moreover, according to the current statutes of the club, approved by slightly more than 100 sócios , each member
4814-454: A win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. Following statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored. Only the top twenty-five are listed (includes qualifying rounds). A total of 155 clubs from 34 national associations have played in or qualified for
4980-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for
5146-558: Is entitled to one or more votes depending on membership years: over 1 and up to 5 years, 1 vote; over 5 and up to 10, 5 votes; over 10 and up to 25, 20 votes; over 25 as an effective member, 50 votes. In addition, a delegate can also vote: when representing a Benfica house, 50 votes; a filliation or a delegation, 20 votes. On 9 November 2006, Benfica set the Guinness World Record for "the most widely supported football club", with 160,398 paid-up members. In 2014, according to
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5312-468: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
5478-402: Is held by Bayern Munich . Bayern Munich's run began with a 2–0 win against Saint-Étienne in the first leg of the 1969–70 first round. The run ended with a 2–1 defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of the 1990–91 semi-finals. In the Champions League era, the record stands at 38 games and is held by Barcelona . Barcelona's run began with a 4–0 win against Ajax in the first match of
5644-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
5810-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
5976-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
6142-816: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
6308-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
6474-633: Is the Benfica player with the most official appearances (575). Eusébio is the club's all-time top goalscorer, with 473 goals in 440 competitive matches. He is also Benfica's top scorer in UEFA club competitions, with 56 goals. Luisão is the player with the most trophies won (20), the captain with the most matches and has the most appearances in European matches. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
6640-593: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
6806-455: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
S.L. Benfica - Misplaced Pages Continue
6972-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
7138-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
7304-682: The France Football European Team of the Year award in 1968. In the 1960s, Benfica won eight Primeira Liga ( 1959–60 , '60–61 , '62–63 , '63–64 , '64–65 , '66–67 , '67–68 , '68–69 ), three Taça de Portugal ( 1962 , '64 , '69 ) and two European Cups ( 1960–61 , '61–62 ). Many of these successes were achieved with Eusébio – the only player to win the Ballon d'Or for a Portuguese club – Coluna , José Águas , José Augusto , Simões , Torres , and others, who formed
7470-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
7636-433: The 2010–11 Europa League , an appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals in the 2011–12 campaign , and two consecutive Europa League finals , in 2012–13 and '13–14. Later managed by Rui Vitória , Benfica won a fourth Primeira Liga title in a row – their first ever tetra – one Taça de Portugal , one Taça da Liga and two successive Super Cup trophies; the latter in 2017 after they reachieved
7802-479: The 2013–14 group stage and reached the 38th match in a 2–1 win against Dynamo Kyiv in the 2020–21 group stage, before it ended after a 3–0 loss to Juventus in the final match of the group stage of that season. The record for the longest away unbeaten run stands at 22 games and is held by Bayern Munich . The run began with a 2–1 win against Celtic in the 2017–18 group stage, and reached its 22nd match following Bayern's 1–1 draw away to Red Bull Salzburg in
7968-477: The 2021–22 round of 16. The streak ended in the following round, following Bayern's 1–0 quarter-final defeat at Villarreal . During this run, Bayern defeated Barcelona and Lyon in the 2019–20 quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively, played in Lisbon over a single leg as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . They also defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the 2020 final . These matches, however, were played at
8134-527: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
8300-583: The Estádio das Amoreiras , playing there fifteen years before moving to the Estádio do Campo Grande in 1940. The Portuguese league began in 1934, and after finishing third in its first edition, Benfica won the next three championships in a row ( 1935–36 , '36–37 , '37–38 ) – the club's first tri , achieved by Lippo Hertzka . Throughout the 1940s, Benfica would win three more Primeira Liga ( 1941–42 , '42–43 , '44–45 ) and four Taça de Portugal ( 1940 , '43 , '44 , '49 ), with coach János Biri achieving
8466-638: The European Cup and Champions League . These statistics do not include the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, unless otherwise noted. Twenty-three clubs have won the tournament since its 1955 inception. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the tournament, winning it fifteen times. A total of thirteen clubs have won the tournament multiple times: Real Madrid, Milan , Bayern Munich , Liverpool , Benfica , Inter Milan , Ajax , Nottingham Forest , Juventus , Manchester United , Porto , Barcelona and Chelsea . Nineteen clubs have reached
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#17327722878198632-700: The LigaPro , under-19 team home matches, and the club's other sports matches, including youth categories. Until 2016, it broadcast three seasons of the English Premier League , and one season of the Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 . In January 2020, Benfica launched Benfica Play (BPlay for short), an over-the-top media service featuring exclusive content such as interviews with current and former Benfica players and behind-the-scenes video from matchdays and training sessions. Moreover,
8798-1203: The Portuguese Securities Market Commission denied Benfica's takeover bid of 28.06% of Benfica SAD for €5 a share because the funding source was the SAD itself. By September 2021, Benfica owned the majority of the SAD's share capital , 63.65%, of which 40% belonged directly to the club, holder of all category A shares, and 23.65% to its holding company , Benfica SGPS , holder of category B shares. The remaining percentage pertains to shareholders who may only own B shares. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. On 27 January 2004, Benfica retired squad number 29 in memory of Miklós Fehér, who had died while playing for them two days earlier. Source: Source: Nené
8964-604: The Santiago Bernabéu . With the election of president Joaquim Ferreira Bogalho in 1952 and the arrival of coach Otto Glória in 1954, Benfica became more modernized and professional and moved into the original Estádio da Luz , with an initial seating capacity of 40,000; expanded to 70,000 in 1960. During the 1950s, Benfica won three Primeira Liga titles ( 1949–50 , '54–55 , '56–57 ) and six Taça de Portugal ( 1951 , '52 , '53 , '55 , '57 , '59 ). Despite being Portuguese champions in 1955, Benfica were not invited to
9130-790: The UEFA Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) in 1983 , 2013 and '14 . Benfica's ten European finals are a domestic record and ranked seventh all-time among UEFA clubs in 2014. Noncompetitively, Benfica is honoured with the Portuguese Orders of Christ (Commander), of Merit (Officer), and of Prince Henry . Benfica was voted 12th in FIFA Club of the Century and ranked 9th in the IFFHS Top 200 European clubs of
9296-522: The chant "Glorioso SLB". In some countries, since 1952, Benfica has had supporters' clubs known as Casas do Benfica (Benfica houses), places for cultural, social and sport interaction among benfiquistas . In recent years, benfiquistas have celebrated league titles with the team at the Marquis of Pombal Square in Lisbon. Benfica is the most popular club in Portugal and has always been seen as
9462-689: The final of the UEFA Cup in 1983, lost to Anderlecht . Following improvements to the Estádio da Luz, Benfica opened the stadium's third tier in 1985, transforming it into the largest stadium in Europe and third largest in the world . A season later, after they had won the domestic Super Cup in 1985 and the Portuguese Cup in 1986 , Benfica clinched the double of Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal . Then, from 1988 to 1994, Benfica won three Primeira Liga ( 1988–89 , '90–91 , '93–94 ), one Taça de Portugal ( 1993 ), one Super Cup ( 1989 ) and reached
9628-449: The following season , Benfica became the first club in Portugal to win the league without defeat, winning 28 matches – 23 consecutively – out of 30, and drawing 2. They scored 101 goals, and Eusébio was again crowned Europe's top scorer , 2 goals short of his record (42). From October 1976 to September 1978, Benfica were unbeaten in the league for 56 matches. This decade was also marked by Benfica's admission of foreign players into
9794-830: The inaugural European Cup by the organizers , thus making their UEFA debut in 1957–58 against Sevilla . Led by coach Béla Guttmann , who had been signed by Maurício Vieira de Brito , Benfica became back-to-back European Champions by winning the European Cup against Barcelona in 1961 (3–2) and Real Madrid in 1962 (5–3). Consequently, Benfica played in the Intercontinental Cup , where they were runners-up to Peñarol in 1961 and Santos in 1962 . Later on, Benfica reached three more European Cup finals , losing them to AC Milan in 1963 , Inter Milan in 1965 , and Manchester United in 1968 . Therefore, for their international performance , Benfica were ranked first in European football in 1965, '66 and '69, and were presented with
9960-502: The " Big Three ", Portugal's most decorated clubs. None of them have been relegated from the Portuguese league since its establishment in 1934. As Lisbon-based clubs, Benfica and Sporting have shared a rivalry for over a century; it all started in 1907, when eight prominent Benfica players defected to Sporting. Any match between both teams is known as dérbi de Lisboa ("Lisbon derby"), dérbi eterno ("eternal derby"), dérbi da Segunda Circular , or dérbi dos dérbis ("derby of
10126-635: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
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#173277228781910292-466: The 1963–64 team that set a club record of 103 goals in 26 league matches. During the 1970s, with president Borges Coutinho , Benfica continued dominating Portuguese football , as they won six Primeira Liga titles ( 1970–71 , '71–72 , '72–73 , '74–75 , '75–76 , '76–77 ) and two Taça de Portugal ( 1970 , '72 ). In 1971–72 , Benfica reached the semi-finals of the European Cup , where they were eliminated by Ajax of Johan Cruyff . Led by Jimmy Hagan
10458-506: The 20th century. In UEFA, Benfica is 8th in the all-time club ranking and was 20th in the club coefficient rankings at the end of the 2023–24 season . In the UEFA Champions League (formerly the European Cup), Benfica have the second most participations (42) and are the Portuguese club with the most wins (130). In this tournament, they hold the overall record for the biggest aggregate win , achieved in 1965–66 . Moreover, Benfica hold
10624-623: The Benfica team: participation in professional football competitions at domestic and international level; development of football players; exploitation of TV rights on open and closed channels; management of the players' image rights; exploitation of the Benfica brand by the professional football team and at sporting events. Benfica SAD entered the PSI-20 on 21 May 2007 with an initial stock value of €5 on 15,000,001 shares . Later in June that year, Joe Berardo launched an unsuccessful takeover bid of €3.50 per share for 60% of Benfica SAD. Following
10790-428: The Champions League group stage. Season in bold represents teams qualified for the knockout phase that season. Between 1999–2000 and 2002–03 , qualification is considered from the second group stage. Starting from the 2024–25 season with the introduction of a league phase, the top eight are considered to be qualified as well as the eight play-off winners. European Cup group stage participants (only one season
10956-412: The Estádio do Campo Grande, a rented municipal stadium, before relocating to their second home ground thirteen years later. From 1954 to 2003, Benfica played at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, the largest stadium in Europe and third largest in the world in terms of capacity – 120,000 – from 1985 to 1987. It was demolished between 2002 and 2003, and the new Estádio da Luz was finalized in 2003, with
11122-466: The European Cup finals of 1988 and 1990 , won by PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan respectively. Financial trouble in the early 1980s and a large investment on players throughout that decade started to deteriorate the club's finances under Jorge de Brito 's presidency. The rampant spending and a questionable signing policy (over 100 players during Manuel Damásio 's term) further aggravated the problem. Soon after, with president João Vale e Azevedo , Benfica
11288-460: The European Cup on their debut: Three clubs won the Champions League on their debut: Two clubs have won European Cup on their debut without losing a single game in the competition: Until 2023–24 season, nine clubs have won all of their games in a group stage, on thirteen occasions. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have done so the most, on three occasions, and the latter are also the only club to have two consecutive six-win group stages. All of
11454-525: The European record for the most consecutive wins in domestic league (29), where they became the first undefeated champions, in 1972–73 . On 28 February 1904, after a football training session that day, the Catataus Group and members of Associação do Bem met at Farmácia Franco on Rua Direita de Belém with the goal of forming a social and cultural football club called Sport Lisboa , composed of Portuguese players only. Twenty-four people attended
11620-576: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
11786-910: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
11952-467: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
12118-475: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
12284-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
12450-748: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
12616-479: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
12782-517: The United States and Canada; and the remainder in Brazil, Venezuela, the Caribbean , Indochina , China, Australia, and India. According to a study performed for UEFA in 2012, Benfica is the European club with the highest share of football supporters in its own country (47%). In the 2022–23 season, Benfica had an average home attendance of 57,108 in the Portuguese league, the highest average of
12948-480: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
13114-450: The addition of a third qualifying round in the 1999–2000 season , four teams have negotiated all three rounds of qualification and reached the Champions League group phase: Since the addition of a fourth 'play-off' round in the 2009–10 season , five teams have negotiated all four rounds of qualification and reached the Champions League group phase: Four teams have won the tournament from the third qualification round: Real Madrid holds
13280-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
13446-460: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
13612-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
13778-534: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
13944-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
14110-679: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
14276-423: The club president for a four-year term (three years until 2010) by voting in each candidate list, thus forming the highest governing body of the club. Benfica members may also participate and vote in general assemblies, submit proposals, take part in discussions, be elected to governing bodies, be designated for positions or functions at the club, and so forth. In 2003, the club implemented electronic voting –
14442-431: The club publishes the weekly newspaper O Benfica every Friday since 28 November 1942. It contains information about everything in the club in the form of news and articles (mostly the former). By 2005, it had a circulation of close to 10,000. From 6 December 2007 to 11 July 2017, Benfica published the quarterly magazine Mística . Free of charge for Benfica members, it comprised interviews with players and personnel of
14608-475: The club, reports about the club's history and recent events, news, opinion pieces, overviews of the club's sports, with football being its main focus, and a section dedicated to club members. Its last edition, number 33, had a circulation of 115,602 in mainland Portugal . O Benfica Ilustrado was the club's first magazine; it was launched on 1 October 1957 as a monthly supplement to the newspaper O Benfica . The Museu Benfica – Cosme Damião, located near
14774-437: The competition and current record at the Estádio da Luz, with an average occupancy of 89.12%. The highest home attendance record was set in 2016–17; 64,519 spectators saw Benfica's 5–0 win over Vitória de Guimarães in the season's last match at Da Luz. The members of Benfica (called sócios ), along with Benfica houses (such as Benfica de Macau ), filiations (e.g. Benfica de Luanda ) and delegations (e.g. Lusitano ), elect
14940-550: The construction of the new Estádio da Luz shortly after the election of Manuel Vilarinho . In 2003–04 , with president Luís Filipe Vieira , Benfica ended their longest silverware drought by winning the Taça de Portugal . The following year, Benfica won their first league title since 1994, and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira . After that and until 2009, when Benfica won their first Taça da Liga – thus becoming
15106-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
15272-594: The crest, a bicycle wheel was added to Sport Lisboa's to represent cycling , the most important sport of Grupo Sport Benfica. Furthermore, the two entities of the newly named club had simultaneous members who helped stabilize operations, which later increased the success of the merger. However, problems with the club's rented field (Campo da Feiteira) remained. Benfica moved to their first football grass field, Campo de Sete Rios , in 1913. Four years later, after refusing an increase in rent, they relocated to Campo de Benfica . Finally, in 1925, they moved to their own stadium,
15438-537: The derbies"). It is the most important football derby in Portugal and is followed in Europe, Africa, the Americas, and wherever the Portuguese diaspora is. The rivalry between Benfica and FC Porto, which started with a friendly match on 28 April 1912, comes about as Lisbon and Porto are the largest Portuguese cities, respectively. Benfica and Porto are the two most decorated clubs in Portuguese football, with
15604-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
15770-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
15936-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
16102-420: The final but never won the tournament. Spanish clubs are the most successful, winning twenty titles. England is second with fifteen and Italy is third with twelve. Germany has eight titles, Netherlands has six, Portugal has four, and Scotland, Romania, Yugoslavia, and France each have one. Clubs from Greece, Belgium and Sweden have reached the final but never won. In this ranking, two points are awarded for
16268-503: The first double for the club in 1943. Benfica's first international success happened in 1950 , when they won the Latin Cup (the only Portuguese club to do so), defeating Bordeaux with a golden goal from Julinho at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, with Ted Smith as coach. It was the first international trophy won by a Portuguese club. They reached another final of the competition in 1957 but lost to Real Madrid at
16434-407: The first club to win all major Portuguese competitions – they did not win any trophies and finished fourth in the 2007–08 league . In Europe, Benfica had three consecutive appearances in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League , with their best result being a quarter-final stage in 2005–06 after eliminating then European champions Liverpool on 3–0 aggregate. For 2009–10 , Jorge Jesus
16600-415: The first- and second-placed teams in a Champions League group phase is eleven points, achieved by four teams: Several teams have been knocked out on a tiebreaker , most on the head-to-head criteria: 1995–96 was the first tournament in which three points were awarded for a win instead of two. The following teams were knocked out from the group stage, but would have advanced following the old rule: Since
16766-482: The following season, with group stage away wins over Manchester City , Viktoria Plzeň and CSKA Moscow . The record equaling seventh win was achieved when Bayern again defeated Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the round of 16 on 19 February 2014. Their run ended with a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the first leg of the quarter-finals on 1 April 2014. Manchester City holds
16932-425: The following teams won six matches in the previous group stage format. So far, no club has managed to win all eight matches since the system update in the 2024–25 season: Only one club has drawn all of their games in a group stage: In the history of the Champions League, the following 23 clubs have lost all group stage matches, Dinamo Zagreb is the only team to do it twice: The biggest points difference between
17098-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
17264-528: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
17430-479: The former historically being the most decorated team overall. Any match between the two sides is called O Clássico (The Classic). In 2008, Benfica launched its own sports-oriented television network, Benfica TV (BTV for short), the first channel by a Portuguese club, and has operated it since. Its premium channel broadcasts Benfica's live matches at home in the Primeira Liga, Benfica B home matches in
17596-493: The former in the 50-year celebration of their first European Cup and the latter to celebrate their second consecutive European Cup. José da Cruz Viegas was the person responsible for the selection of Benfica's kit in 1904. Red and white colours were chosen for being the ones that stood out better to players' eyes. One year after its inception, the club opted for red shirts with white collars, pockets and cuffs, combined with white shorts and black socks. Benfica's white alternative kit
17762-471: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
17928-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
18094-604: The general assembly of 23 December 2009, the SAD increased its €75 million equity to €115 million by absorbing Benfica Estádio, to come out of technical insolvency . On 31 July 2014, the SAD completed the acquisition of Benfica Stars Fund by spending roughly €28.9 million for 85% of units, thus purchasing the remaining economic rights of nine players. Later in April, Benfica and Adidas renewed their previous ten-season contract of 2003 until 2021, for around €4.5 million per year. In May 2015, Emirates airline signed
18260-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
18426-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
18592-687: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
18758-759: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
18924-413: The largest sports club by membership in Portugal and second largest in the world . The club's anthem, " Ser Benfiquista ", refers to Benfica supporters , who are called benfiquistas . " E pluribus unum " ("Out of many, one") is the club's motto; Águia Vitória , the mascot. With 86 major trophies won , Benfica is one of the two most decorated clubs in Portugal. They have won 83 domestic trophies:
19090-456: The league's all-time best second round. Later on , after thrashing Sporting CP in the Super Cup , Jesus returned for 2020–21 as part of the biggest spending in Portuguese football, amid the COVID-19 pandemic ; they were eliminated in the Champions League third qualifying round , lost a Super Cup match, finished third in the league , and lost a Portuguese Cup final for a second time in
19256-486: The meeting, including Cosme Damião . In that meeting, José Rosa Rodrigues was appointed club president , along with Daniel dos Santos Brito as secretary and Manuel Gourlade as treasurer. The founders decided that the club's colours would be red and white and that the crest would be composed of an eagle, the motto " E pluribus unum " and a football . Sport Lisboa played their first ever match on 1 January 1905, scoring their first goal. Despite important victories, such as
19422-614: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
19588-471: The merger, they continued their respective club operations. For Sport Lisboa, they maintained the football team, the shirt colours, the eagle symbol and the motto. For Grupo Sport Benfica, they maintained the field Campo da Feiteira , the main directors and the club's house. Both clubs determined that the foundation date should coincide with Sport Lisboa's because it was the most recognized club and quite popular in Lisbon due to its football merits. In regard to
19754-462: The money from the latter contract would be used to lower Benfica's debt. By June 2017, Benfica had earned €617 million from player transfers since the 2010–11 season, more than any other club in the world. In September 2018, Benfica SAD reported a profit of €20.6 million and a revenue of €206.2 million. Moreover, they reported a record equity of €86.8 million: assets of €485.1 million and liabilities of €398.3 million. It
19920-408: The motto "E pluribus unum" ("Out of many, one"), defining union between all members; and the club's initials, "SLB", over a football – all this superimposed on a bicycle wheel representing one of the club's first sports, cycling. The club has had four main crests since its inception in 1904. The origin of the current crest goes back to 1908, when Sport Lisboa absorbed Grupo Sport Benfica. Afterwards,
20086-534: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
20252-399: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics#Biggest two leg wins This page details all statistics of all seasons of
20418-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
20584-475: The ones against Carcavelos and then-rivals Internacional , the club suffered from poor operating conditions, namely the football dirt field of Terras do Desembargador . As a result, eight players moved to Sporting CP in May 1907, threatening Sport Lisboa's existence, and later starting the rivalry between the two clubs. On 13 September 1908, Sport Lisboa acquired Grupo Sport Benfica by mutual agreement and changed its name to Sport Lisboa e Benfica . Despite
20750-470: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
20916-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
21082-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
21248-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
21414-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
21580-558: The qualification stage of the competition. The following players have scored four goals in one European Cup/UEFA Champions League match. Only Alfredo Di Stéfano , Ferenc Puskás , Sándor Kocsis , Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski managed to do this from the quarter-final stage onwards and Ferenc Puskás is the only footballer to score four goals in a final ( 1960 ). The following players have managed to score five goals in one European Cup/UEFA Champions League match: Notes: The criteria for an assist to be awarded may vary according to
21746-451: The qualification stage of the competition. The following table includes the number of assists since the 1992–93 season . However, according to UEFA's own official list, Cristiano Ronaldo sits at 1st place with 42 official assists and Ryan Giggs sits at 5th with 31 assists. This is due to the website only counting assists from the 2003-04 season onwards. In addition, UEFA's criteria for assists differ from those of Opta, as it considers causing
21912-579: The quarter-finals and Panathinaikos at the Spyridon Louis in the semi-finals. Ajax's run continued the following season, winning all three away group stage matches, against Auxerre , Rangers and Grasshopper . Their record seventh win came on 19 March 1997, after defeating Atlético Madrid 3–2 at the Vicente Calderón after extra time in the quarter-finals. The streak would end in the following round, as Ajax lost 4–1 to Juventus in
22078-474: The quarter-finals of that season. The most consecutive away wins in the Champions League (not including matches played at neutral venues) is seven, achieved on two occasions. Ajax were the first side to reach this number; their run began with a 2–0 group stage win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on 22 November 1995. They then defeated Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion in
22244-484: The quarter-finals), with the run coming to an end following a 2–0 away loss against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the quarter-finals on 8 April 2014. Paris Saint-Germain's run started with a 1–1 group stage draw against Arsenal on 13 September 2016. This streak continued with PSG scoring at least once in all 24 matches played over the course of their 2016–17 , 2017–18 and 2018–19 Champions League campaigns (including all six group stage games and both legs of
22410-504: The record for most knockout tie wins in the competition's history, with 117 overall. Their first knockout tie success came following a 7–0 aggregate win over Servette in the 1955–56 first round, and their most recent victory was a 2–0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 final . Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain share the record of consecutive goalscoring in Champions League matches, with both sides scoring at least one goal in 34 successive games. Real Madrid's run started with
22576-470: The record for the most consecutive Champions League games without a win. They failed to record a victory in 23 matches played in the competition from 26 September 2006 until 11 December 2013, although they did win games in the qualifying rounds during that period. They have not appeared in the group stage since the last of those 23 games. Players that are still active in Europe are highlighted in boldface . The table below does not include appearances made in
22742-414: The record of 26 consecutive unbeaten run in the Champions League. The streak began with a 4–0 away win against Sevilla in their opening group stage game in 2022–23 and continued up to a 5–0 home against Sparta Prague in the third match of the 2024–25 league phase. before it ended after a 4–1 loss to Sporting CP in next matchday. The record for the longest unbeaten run at home stands at 43 games and
22908-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
23074-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
23240-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
23406-433: The round of 16). The club then scored in all six group stage games, both legs of the round of 16, and the single-legged quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 2019–20 edition, with their run ending in the final following a 0–1 defeat to Bayern Munich on 23 August 2020. Bayern Munich ( 2019–20 and 2020–21 ) holds the record of 15 consecutive wins in the Champions League. Bayern's run started on 18 September 2019 with
23572-469: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
23738-654: The semi-finals at the Stadio delle Alpi on 23 April 1997. Bayern Munich would go on to equal this record nearly two decades later; their run began with a 3–1 round of 16 victory against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 19 February 2013, and continued with wins against Juventus at the Juventus Stadium in the quarter-finals and Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the semi-finals. The streak continued
23904-554: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
24070-464: The shape of the crest was changed in 1930 and 1999. The most significant of the latest changes were the modification and repositioning of the eagle and the reduction of the wheel's size. Since the 2008–09 season , Benfica football shirts have displayed three stars above the crest, with each star representing ten league titles won by the club. In 2010–11 and 2011–12, however, the shirts displayed commemorative crests with one and two stars respectively,
24236-433: The source, this table is based on the assists criteria according to Opta , where assists are not counted for balls that are deflected or rebounded off opposing players and have clearly affected the trajectory of the ball and its arrival to the recipient (the goal scorer). Assists are also not counted for penalty kicks, direct goals from corners or free kicks, or own goals. This table does not include assists provided in
24402-469: The stadium currently has 64,642 seats. Benfica's training ground and youth academy , Benfica Campus, is located in Seixal , Lisbon Region . It was built in 2005 and opened on 22 September 2006. The supporters of Benfica are known as benfiquistas . They sing the club's anthem at the start of every home match and sometimes during the match. They call the club O Glorioso (The Glorious One), hence
24568-672: The stadium, was inaugurated on 26 July 2013 and opened to the public three days later. Named after Cosme Dasmião, one of the club's founders, it was considered the Best Portuguese Museum of 2014 by the Portuguese Association of Museology. On 10 February 2000, under the presidency of João Vale e Azevedo, Benfica created Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD (a public limited sports company) with an initial equity of €75 million. There were five major reasons for creating an autonomous entity to manage
24734-429: The symbol atop the club's crest, and Os Encarnados (The Reds), for the shirt colour. Since 2003, their home ground has been the Estádio da Luz , which replaced the larger, original one , built in 1954. Benfica is the most supported Portuguese club and the European club with the highest percentage of supporters in its own country, having an estimated 14 million supporters worldwide and over 250,000 members, making them
24900-451: The team, becoming the last Portuguese club to do so, in 1979. In the 1980s, Benfica continued to thrive domestically. With Lajos Baróti in 1980–81 , Benfica became the first club to win all Portuguese trophies in one season: Supertaça de Portugal , Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal . Later, under the guidance of Sven-Göran Eriksson , they won two consecutive Primeira Liga ( 1982–83 , '83–84 ), one Taça de Portugal ( 1983 ) and reached
25066-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
25232-538: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
25398-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
25564-613: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
25730-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
25896-550: The word " vermelhos " because the Popular Front communists in Spain were also known by that name. From then on, Benfica became known as Encarnados – word similar to "reds", but with a different connotation. During the club's first decades, Benfica played mostly on rented fields. Their first own stadium was the Estádio das Amoreiras, built and opened in 1925, where they played until 1940. A year later, they moved to
26062-516: The working-class club of Portugal. According to a study published in 2006 by professors Luís Reto and Jorge de Sá, with the stamp of approval by Instituto Nacional de Estatística and Secretaria de Estado das Comunidades, Benfica has approximately 14 million supporters worldwide: over 5.5 million in Europe (4.7 in Portugal); over 6 million in Mozambique (3.8) and Angola (2.7); over 1 million in
26228-516: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
26394-472: Was appointed coach, a position he held until 2015 . During that six-season span, Benfica won 10 domestic trophies, including an unprecedented treble in Portuguese football ( league , cup and league cup ) in 2013–14 and the club's first back-to-back league titles since 1984. At international level, Benfica were ranked sixth in the UEFA team ranking in 2015 due to their first European semi-final in 17 years at
26560-533: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
26726-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
26892-446: Was in huge debt and sometimes unable to pay taxes and player salaries. From 1994 to 2003, Benfica had eleven coaches, won the 1995–96 Taça de Portugal , suffered their biggest defeat in European competitions, 7–0 to Celta de Vigo in 1999, had their lowest ever league finish, a sixth place in 2000–01 , and were absent from European competition in 2001–02 and '02–03 , the first time since 1958–59. Back in 2000, club members had approved
27058-504: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
27224-551: Was officially used for the first time in 1944–45, when Salgueiros , who also wore red, were promoted to the first division. Benfica have always worn red shirts; for that reason, in Portugal, Benfica and their supporters ( benfiquistas ) were nicknamed Vermelhos (Reds). This changed in 1936 with the start of the Spanish Civil War : the Portuguese Estado Novo 's Censorship Commission censored
27390-563: Was played in this format) 1991–92 : Note: In the 1992 and 1993 seasons there were no semi-finals as the finalists qualified via a group stage. The winners ( Sampdoria and Barcelona in 1992, Marseille and Milan in 1993) and runners-up ( Red Star Belgrade and Sparta Prague in 1992, Rangers and IFK Göteborg in 1993) of the two groups are marked as semi-finalists in the table. See also Treble (association football) and List of association football teams to have won four or more trophies in one season . Five clubs managed to win
27556-516: Was the first time since 2010–11 that the debt was below €400 million. In January 2019, Benfica remained the only Portuguese club ever to appear in the Deloitte Football Money League , being ranked as the world's 30th highest commercial revenue generating football club in 2017–18, with a revenue of €150.7 million. In May 2019, Benfica was ranked by Brand Finance as the 40th most valuable football brand. In May 2020,
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