Striker Rafa received the Footballer of the Year award at the Cosme Damião Awards this Tuesday, which also presents the ‘revelation’ António Silva and coach Filipa Patão, on the day of Benfica’s 119th birthday.
Facing competition from teammates Otamendi, Grimaldo and Gonçalo Ramos, Rafa was favored by Benfica supporters and took the stage to collect the final award at a birthday ceremony that took place at Aula Magna, in Lisbon.
“I thank my team, the technical team, all the people who work with us every day for everything they do for us and my family. This season,” he stressed.
On the female side of football, Francisca Nazareth was the best footballer of the year, against colleagues Ana Vitória, Pauleta, Cloé Lacasse, Carole Costa and Catarina Amado, while the Portuguese international defender Ana Seiça received the revelation award.
“I want to reinforce what this team has done at national and especially international level. Even against large teams, we have shown what we are capable of, in a project with only five years and it is of great scope,” emphasized Kika Nazareth.
Still in the opening part of the gala, António Silva accepted the prize for the revelation of men’s football, after a ‘dazzling’ trajectory until he took over the title in the main squad.
“I’ve been a Benfica fan since birth and it means a lot to receive an award with so many Benfica legends here and who have given so much to the club. I thank the team who have always helped me and the technical team, for the trust they have always given me. Here to receive this award. I am lucky to represent Benfica at the highest level,” said the 19-year-old defender, who represented Portugal at the 2022 World Cup.
The Coach of the Year award went to Filipa Patão, coach of the women’s football team, current two-time national champion and holder of the Super Cup, beating the competition of Luís Castro (professional football), Chema Rodríguez (handball), Marcel Matz ( volleyball), Paulo Almeida (women’s roller hockey), João Alexandre Florêncio (women’s handball), Eugénio Rodrigues (women’s basketball) and Norberto Alves (basketball).
“I’ve been in this house for 16 years. The path is made by walking and here I am, with work and dedication. There are a lot of people and a lot of work behind this award. The players put everything on the ground every day. It was impossible to receive this award without them,” said the club’s coach and former player, who has been in charge since 2020/21.
Canoeist Fernando Pimenta won the award for high competition athlete, in a list of 11 nominees, while swimmer Diogo Ribeiro was chosen as the revelation of the modalities, with handball receiving the collective trophy, after the European League.
Benfica’s management also honored Fernando Chalana, who died in August at the age of 63, awarded the Career Award to another ‘old glory’, Humberto Coelho, and awarded the junior team the Training Award, after winning the UEFA Youth League and Intercontinental.
List of winners of the Cosme Damião Awards:
unveiling of women’s football: Ana Seica
revelation men’s football: Antonio Silva
project: Stadium modernization
Innovation: DPA – Digital Process Automation
Partner: bet
merit and dedication: Arnaldo Teixeira
Disclosure Terms: Diogo Ribeiro
Modality: handball
Benfica houses: House of Benfica in Viseu
Career: Humberto Coelho
high competitive athlete: Fernando Pimenta
coach of the year: Philip Patao
Course: UEFA Youth League and Intercontinental winning junior team
Female Soccer Player of the Year: Francisca ‘Kika’ Nazareth
Tribute: Fernando Chalana
Male Footballer of the Year: Rafa
Source: DN
