Raúl Machado

Born in Matosinhos, Machado joined his home-town club, Leixões, at the age of 21.[1] In the three seasons there, he help them maintain in the Primeira Divisão and win the 1961 Portuguese Cup.[1]

His performances led to a move to Benfica in 1962, and made his debut on 21 October 1962, in an away win to Belenenses.[2] Due to an injury in Germano, he played 37 games in the centre of a WM formation, winning the league title and losing the European Cup Final.[3] In the next season, he lost his starting position to Luciano, playing the majority of his games in the domestic cup, which the club successfully conquered.[4] After a one-year on the right side of the WM formation,[5] Machado easily adapted to the more common 4–4–2 in 1965 and played four more seasons at Benfica.[6][7][8][9]

He partnered with Germano and later Jacinto Santos, winning three more league titles and losing a third European Cup Final.[10][11][12] With the rapid rise of Humberto Coelho, he left in 1969 with 193 matches and seven goals, retiring after a last season at Leixões.[1]

Machado received 11 caps for the national team in a six-year spell. He was first called up by manager José Maria Antunes in 1962, to play the preliminary round of the 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying against Bulgaria.[13] He played both legs, on 7 November and 16 December, but Bulgaria progressed after a 1–0 on replay.[14][15] Due to strong competition in his position, he did not took part in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, but reappeared in the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifying stages in 1967.[16][17]

Leixões

• Taça de Portugal: 1960–61

Benfica[1]

• Primeira Liga: 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69[18]
• Taça de Portugal: 1963–64, 1968–69
• European Cup runner-up: 1962–63, 1964–65, 1967–68
• Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1962

General

• Tovar, Rui Miguel (2012). Almanaque do Benfica. Portugal: Lua de Papel. ISBN 978-989-23-2087-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Specific

• Raúl Machado at ForaDeJogo