Adolfo António da Luz Calisto (1 January 1944 – 29 August 2024), simply known as Adolfo, was a Portuguese footballer who played left back and was one of the top players for Benfica and the Portugal national team during the 1960s and 1970s.

Adolfo Calisto
Calisto in 1972
Personal information
Full name Adolfo António da Luz Calisto
Date of birth (1944-01-04)4 January 1944
Place of birth Barreiro, Portugal
Date of death 29 August 2024(2024-08-29) (aged 80)
Position(s) Left-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1960–1962 Barreirense
1965–1975 Benfica 300 (5)
1975–1976 União Montemor
1976–1977 Portimonense
International career
1971–1973 Portugal 15 (1)
Managerial career
1982–1993 CD Alcains
Benfica de C. Branco
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

edit

Born in Barreiro, Portugal, he first attracted attention for his local team of Barreirense, (1960–1962 and 1963–1966), and for Seixal (1962–1963). After that he moved to Benfica, where he played from 1965–66 to 1974–75. He then played for União Montemor (1975–1976) and Portimonense (1976–1977), before ending his career at age 33. He won six championships, and was part of the Benfica squad that reached the 1968 European Cup final. As a Benfica player he achieved the nickname of "Barreiro locomotiv", he was the first wing defender doing the entire corridor.

He had 15 caps for the Portugal national team, scoring 1 goal, and played with the team that reached second place at the Brazil Independence Cup final in 1972, losing only in an epic final with Brazil (1–0), being considered the best wing left defender that year. The Portuguese team, which was largely composed of Benfica players, including veterans Eusébio and Jaime Graça, and youngsters Humberto Coelho and Jordão, lost the final only at the 89th minute, when Jairzinho finally scored.

Death

edit

Adolfo died on 29 August 2024, at the age of 80.[1]

Career statistics

edit
Scores and results list Portugal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Calisto goal.
List of international goals scored by Adolfo Calisto
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 29 June 1972 Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil   Argentina 1–0 3–1 Brazilian Independence Cup

Honours

edit

Benfica

References

edit
  1. ^ "Morreu Adolfo, ex-jogador do Benfica e da Seleção Nacional". CM. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Especial 'Tetra'" ['Tetra' special edition]. Mística (in Portuguese). No. 33. Portugal: Impresa Publishing. April–June 2017. p. 82. ISSN 3846-0823.
  3. ^ "Bicampeões para a história" [Back-to-back champions for the ages]. Visão (in Portuguese). Portugal: Impresa Publishing. May 2015. p. 52. ISSN 0872-3540.

Further reading

edit
  • Malheiro, João (July 2006). Memorial Benfica 100 Glórias [Benfica Memorial, 100 glories] (in Portuguese) (Third ed.). QuidNovi. p. 8. ISBN 978-972-8998-26-4.
  • Malheiro, João (2004). Benfica 100 anos gloriosos: As Estrelas [Benfica glorious years: The stars] (in Portuguese). Vol. 6 (First ed.). QuidNovi. p. 6. ISBN 978-989-554-104-1.
edit