Portuguese media reported on the 26th that former Porto and Sporting Lisbon ace striker Fernando Gomes died on February 26 at the age of 66 due to pancreatic cancer. He has been battling pancreatic cancer for the past three years.
Gomez has won the Portuguese Top League Golden Boot six times, the European Golden Boot twice and the Portuguese Footballer of the Year in 1983. He scored a total of 319 goals in Portugal's top flight, one more than the legendary superstar Eusebio, and second all-time.
Gomez represented Portugal at Euro 1984 and the 1986 World Cup. Don't look at his domestic league goals, when it comes to the European Championship and the World Cup, he can't make an inch. Most of the national team goals have been poured on teams such as Malta, Luxembourg and East Germany, which has caused a lot of criticism in the domestic media.
Gomez started three of the 1986 FIFA World Cup group stage games, playing all three games, and was replaced by young Futres in the middle of the other two. The latter is the winner of the Portuguese Footballer of the Year in '86 and '87, winner of the European Silver Ball Award '87. But in the case of the '86 World Cup, Futrey was used as a substitute for the left-wingers. However, neither scored in the group stage, with Portugal winning two and finishing bottom of the group.