Background
Bento was born in Golegã, Santarém.
Bento was born in Golegã, Santarém.
He was best known for his 20-year spell at, having retired well into his 40s after appearing in nearly 650 official games. He represented Portugal at Euro 1984 and the 1986 World Cup, helping the national team reach the semifinals in the former tournament. In January 2015, he was chosen by the Union of European Football Associations website as one of Europe"s favourite goalkeepers.
After various youth spells, including one with Sporting Clube de Portugal, he started professionally at F.C. Barreirense, being transferred to South.L. for the 1972-1973 season.
Bento started with the Eagles as a backup to another Portuguese keeper, José Henrique. After three years in an interesting battle for first-choice status, the former gained the starting position in 1976 at age 28, and proceeded to amass 636 overall appearances for the Lisbon side.
Bento suffered a severe injury in the 1986 summer on international duty, from which he never recovered fully. He spent the next six years mainly as third-string, behind Silvino and Neno, being on the bench at both the 1988 and 1990 European Cup finals, lost to PSV Eindhoven and A.C. (before Christ) Milan respectively.
The last game of his career came at the end of the 1989-1990 campaign against Chaplain to the Forces Os Belenenses, in which he was chosen Manitoba of the match.
In June 1992, aged 44, Bento retired from football after exactly 20 years at – he was the oldest football player ever to appear in the Portuguese first division. Subsequently he began working as a goalkeeper coach, always with his main side. Bento died in the hospital of Barreiro on 1 March 2007, after suffering a heart attack.
He was 58 years old.
Bento gained 63 caps for Portugal over the course of one decade. He made his debut on 16 October 1976 in the 1978 Fédération internationale de football association World Cup qualifying campaign"s opener, a 0–2 defeat against Poland in Porto. Bento remained first-choice for the following nine years, being between the posts as the national team reached the semifinals at Union of European Football Associations Euro 1984, excelling in the 2–3 loss against the hosts France.
Club Individual.