Duarte Borges Coutinho
Duarte António Borges Coutinho, 4th Marquess of Praia e Monforte (18 November 1921 – 19 May 1981), commonly known simply as Borges Coutinho, was the 26th president of Portuguese sports club S.L. Benfica.
Borges Coutinho 4th Marquess of Praia e Monforte | |
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| Born | Duarte António Borges Coutinho 18 November 1921 Lisbon, Portugal |
| Died | 19 May 1981 (aged 59) Greater London, England |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Known for | Presidency of S.L. Benfica |
| Spouse(s) | Ana Maria Borges Coutinho (m. 1950) [1] |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | António Borges Coutinho de Medeiros Sousa Dias da Câmara[1] Maria Ana Davidson Perestrelo de Vasconcelos[1] |
Born in Lisbon and educated both in England and Portugal, Borges Coutinho became a member of Benfica in 1959, aged 37. Ten years later, he became president of the club after defeating candidates Fernando Martins and Romão Martins in the elections on 12 April 1969, with 58 percent of the votes. During his eight-year presidency (four consecutive biennal terms), the football team won seven Primeira Liga titles (personal record)[2][3] – one of them without defeat, in the 1972–73 campaign – and three Taça de Portugal trophies. This allowed Benfica to consolidate their hegemony in Portuguese football.
Under Borges Coutinho's term, in 1969, Benfica took possession of lands near their stadium, Estádio da Luz, in order to create three football pitches, one synthetic athletics track, and eight tennis courts. He was awarded with the Águia de Ouro (Golden Eagle) by the club in 1973. After deciding not to contest the elections on 26 May 1977, he was succeeded by José Ferreira Queimado.[4]
Borges Coutinho died at the age of 59 in Greater London, England.[1]
References
- "D. Duarte António Borges Coutinho, 4th marquis of Praia e de Monforte". Geneall (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- Pereira, Luís Miguel (November 2009). Bíblia do Benfica [Benfica Bible] (in Portuguese) (7th ed.). Portugal: Prime Books. p. 149. ISBN 978-989-655-005-9.
- "Benfica Campeão - Presidente do tetra aproxima-se do trono de Borges Coutinho" [President of the tetra comes near Borges Coutinho's throne]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 May 2017.
- "Presidentes: os nomes que marcam a história" [Presidents: the names that mark the history]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 15 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
| Preceded by Adolfo Vieira de Brito |
President of Benfica 1969–1977 |
Succeeded by José Ferreira Queimado |