The breathtaking Estádio da Luz from SL Benfica is a diamond in Portuguese football. A modern stadium from the country’s most popular football club with superb tributes to football legends such as Eusébio and Rui Costa. A must-see during your next visit to Lisbon.
Benfica was a European powerhouse in the ‘60s when it reached the European Cup final five times and won it twice. Originally Benfica is the working-class club of Lisbon, but for decades it has been the biggest and most popular club in the country with an impressive museum full of trophies. For a while, Benfica even was the biggest club in the world by club memberships.
Estádio da Luz, locally known as ‘A Catedral’, fits the stature of a club like Benfica. A large and modern stadium with steep, flaming red stands that may not look that special from the exterior, but one that is overwhelming from the inside. The stadium was built in 2003 on the same site where the club’s former stadium stood. With a capacity of 64,642, it can host plenty of fans, but that number is nothing compared to the old Estádio da Luz which could accommodate 120,000 fans.
It can be a little quiet at the smaller games, but once Benfica plays an important league or European match the Estádio da Luz is rocking.
Fans of neighbours Sporting CP, the former club of Cristiano Ronaldo, might think differently, but for Benfica Eusébio da Silva Ferreira will always remain the biggest Portuguese football legend of all time. The Black Panther or O Rei (The King) played for Benfica between 1960 and 1975 and scored 317 goals in 301 matches for the club, earning the Ballon d’Or in 1965. He had the physicality of a boxer, the speed of an Olympic track runner and the dribbling skills to leave defenders in no man's land. Combined with his eye for goal he was a complete striker. An icon of Benfica and Portugal who is forever immortalized with a beautiful statue outside of Estádio da Luz.
If you visit Benfica’s stadium you will likely be able to witness the club’s two eagles: Vitória and Gloriosa. Before kick-off, club mascot Vitória flies a couple of laps around the stadium before he lands on Benfica’s emblem and completes it. During the week, however, both eagles live in the Estádio da Luz on a pole next to the pitch and guard their home.
Whilst you are at the stadium, make sure to visit the Benfica Museum. Opened in 2013 and was voted the best museum in Portugal a year later. Prepare yourself for a historical archive, a bunch of trophies, videos about the club and a hologram of Eusébio who will welcome you with open arms. And do not forget to showcase your skills and score a penalty in this interactive museum.
It is a question of when, and not if, Benfica will win their next trophy. When the club does they will celebrate their achievement on Praça do Marquês de Pombal, the largest square in Lisbon which becomes a red sea of fans during the club's festivities. In the middle of the square stands a statue of former statesman Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo. He played an important role in rebuilding Lisbon after the deadly earthquake in 1755, which was followed by a tsunami and fire that almost left the entire city destroyed.
Lisbon is filled with pubs for Benfica fans. Everywhere you can find Casas do Benfica (Benfica Houses), which are fan clubs affiliated with Benfica where you can get a beer or enjoy a local snack. But keep your eyes open as you will also find plenty of Benfica’s red colours in pubs on the narrow streets of Lisbon.
If we were to recommend a pub, then it would be Beerhouse O Barbas. It is a bit further outside of the city on the other side of the river Tagus, but it is the perfect place to watch an away game with Benfica fans. Take a sip of your drink whilst you sit on a chair with a Benfica logo and after you can go for a little swim in the ocean.
The match that touches the entire population of Portugal and the one that millions of Portuguese people are eagerly anticipating is the derby of Lisbon. A match between the working-class club Benfica versus the upper-class club Sporting Clube de Portugal. Estádio José Alvalade, Sporting’s stadium, is only a mere three-kilometre walk away from Benfica’s stadium. When visiting Lisbon you must pay a visit to Benfica’s rivals, simply because of the stadium’s unique architecture.
Estádio Nacional, also known as Estádio do Jamor, is surrounded by trees just outside the city. A beautiful old stadium where, nowadays, you are most likely to see local seniors going for a run around the ground. However, every year the stadium also hosts the Portuguese cup final. Estádio Nacional is also a sacred place for Celtic as this is the ground where they won their only European Cup against Inter Milan in 1967. Next to the stadium, you can find the Cidade do Futebol, Portugal’s national football centre.
Lisbon and its surrounding region, are the home of plenty of other football stadiums and magnificent football locations that are worth the visit, such as Estádio do Restelo, Estádio Alfredo Marques Augusto and Estádio Alfredo da Silva.
Tickets can be purchased through Benfica’s official website. Ticket sales usually start ten days before the match. Apart from the matches against FC Porto or Sporting, Benfica’s stadium is rarely sold out.
Estádio da Luz is located outside of the city centre and can easily be reached by the metro system. The nearest station is Alto dos Moinhos. Bus lines 768 and 750 also stop right next to the stadium.
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