Career
He is considered one of the best midfielders of his generation, and he has been recognised as one of the most talented Portuguese players of all time. He spent most of his career with, appearing in 525 official games and scoring 127 goals during 16 professional seasons. Coluna represented at the 1966 World Cup, earning a total of 57 caps.
Born in Inhaca, Portuguese Mozambique, to a Portuguese father and a Mozambican mother, Coluna was spotted by South.L. while playing for Desportivo de Lourenço Marques, where he excelled at basketball and track and field
Signed by the Lisbon club in 1954 he started playing as an inside forward, scoring a career-best 14 goals in 26 games in his first season in and winning the first of his national championships. Subsequently he was successfully reconverted as a central or attacking midfielder by manager Otto Glória, where he put to good use his stamina and strength, adding to this an accurate and powerful long-distance shot and technical skills.
The following year, against fellow Spaniards Real Madrid, he netted the 3–3 equaliser and, subsequently, was supposed to take the penalty that resulted in the 4–3 lead (eventual 5–3 triumph), when youngster Eusébio politely asked if he could shoot it instead. Coluna played 57 times for the Portuguese national team, scoring eight goals.
Coluna captained the Magriços side in all except one of the games during the third-place campaign at the 1966 World Cup, in England.
After Mozambique became independent in 1975, Coluna held the post of President of its Football Federation. He also served as the country"s Minister of Sports, from 1994 to 1999. Coluna died on 25 February 2014 at the age of 78 in Maputo, after not being able to overcome a pulmonary infection.
Club Country Individual.