Biography
Who is Eliseu?
Early life and beginnings
Eliseu Pereira dos Santos was born in Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal. His mother, Inês Furtado, worked as a restaurant owner, and his father, José, was an ambulance driver. The family lived in the Azores region before his parents divorced during his teenage years.
He pursued a career in sports by moving to the mainland of Portugal in 2002. He left the local club Sport Clube Marítimo de Angra do Heroísmo to join C.F. Os Belenenses. He slowly integrated into the main squad in Lisbon. During his second season there, he played in 24 Primeira Liga matches. His first goal for the club occurred during a draw against Vitória de Setúbal in 2003.
Professional club career
After a loan spell at Varzim S.C., he continued playing for Belenenses. In 2007, he moved to Spain to join Málaga CF. He helped that team return to the top division of Spanish football. During his time in Spain, he also had a brief stint in Italy with S.S. Lazio in 2009. He later returned to Spain for a loan period with Real Zaragoza, where he assisted the club in avoiding relegation.
He rejoined Málaga and became a regular starter. He played in various roles, including midfield and left-back. One well-known performance occurred in October 2012, when he scored two goals against Anderlecht during a UEFA Champions League match. These goals involved a long-range strike and a lob over the goalkeeper.
Success with Benfica
In July 2014, the athlete signed a contract with S.L. Benfica. He reunited with coach Jorge Jesus at this new club. His official debut happened during a penalty shootout victory against Rio Ave F.C. In the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. He provided stability at left-back and helped the team secure multiple Primeira Liga titles.
Over four seasons with the club, he contributed to several major trophies. He ended his final campaign with 33 appearances across all competitions. Even after retiring from professional play, he remained connected to the team. In May 2019, he appeared at the Estádio da Luz to celebrate a league victory by riding a scooter across the pitch.
International achievements
He first received a call-up to the Portugal national squad in February 2009 for a match against Finland. He made his official debut for the country in June of that same year during a game against Estonia. He continued to be part of the national setup over the following years.
In 2011, he scored his first international goal in a match against Iceland for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. Manager Fernando Santos later selected him for the squad that competed in Euro 2016. He played in matches against Hungary and Poland. The tournament concluded with Portugal winning the championship.
Birthday and age
Eliseu was born on October 1, 1983, which makes Eliseu 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Eliseu shares the date with 70 other famous people.
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