Known as the “little genius”, Fernando Chalana marked the football of Benfica and Portugal in the 80s, during the period when he made covers in the press and “debuted” with the idea of a star player.
Prior to this sporting and social fame, Chalana became famous in Barreirense, the “hotbed” of Benfica’s golden generation, but it was in “incarnations” that he became one of the greatest Portuguese footballers.
Chalana arrived in Benfica in 1974 at the age of 15 and in the youth category, with the Eagles protecting the young prodigy, at a time when it was said that Sporting CP would also be in the race, at a cost of 750,000 escudos at the time. time. .
Irreverence and speed defined the qualities of the winger, who two seasons later became the youngest player to make his debut in the first division, at 17 years and 20 days old, and when Mario Wilson launched him in a home game against Farense in March. , since 1976.
With two substitute games used by the national championship team, Chalana missed the next season (1976/77), in which he again became champion, becoming the second most used player after Nene, with the winger playing 33 games, being also the team’s second scorer. then coached by John Mortimore.
These were times of self-assertion for the small player with a low center of gravity and extraordinary speed, who bet on the Benfica team, until the first serious injury in 1979, due to which he was out of the field for life. season.
At Benfica, he was still known for the partnership he forged on the left with cornerback Alvaro before Europe noticed him when he was the most outstanding player in the 1984 European Championship in which the Kinas team reached the semi-finals, the final with galls.
At the time, Bordeaux could not resist the “genius” of the 1.65-meter little Portuguese and hired the player in exchange for 300 million escudos (1.5 million euros), which at the time was the most expensive transfer in French football.
Chalana moved to Bordeaux and was nicknamed “Chalanix”, alluding to the stories of Asterix and Obelix, but failed to display the skill that made him visible on the pitch in the service of Benfica.
In France, due to injuries and also accompanied by his media wife Anabela, he failed to play enough for three seasons – despite the French title – and he returned to Benfica, but also without the same glory.
Chalana remained with the Eagles for three seasons between 1987 and 1990, when he was coached by Ebbe Skovdal, Toni and Eriksson, before ending his playing career with Belenenses (1990/91) and Estrela da Amadora . (1991). /92).
He will return to Benfica as a manager, in the squad and also in the first team, which he took charge of twice, in 2002/03 and 2007/08, as a temporary solution in the difficult phases of “realized” football.
In his first spell, he only played one game replacing Jesualdo Ferreira before Toni’s return, and in 2007/08 he played the last two games of the season when Fernando Santos came on the bench and was replaced by José Antonio Camacho.
In recent years, the health problems of the “little genius” have become public knowledge, to whom Bruno Lage, the current coach of Wolves and the last championship coach of Benfica, even dedicated the victory.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
