The striker Rafa was awarded this Tuesday with the prize for the best footballer of the year at the Cosme Damião Awards, which also awarded the ‘revelation’ António Silva and the coach Filipa Patão, on the day of Benfica’s 119th anniversary.
Facing competition from his teammates Otamendi, Grimaldo and Gonçalo Ramos, Rafa was the favorite of the Benfica fans and he took the stage to receive the latest award at a birthday ceremony that took place in the Aula Magna, in Lisbon.
“I thank my team, the technical team, all the people who work with us on a day-to-day basis for everything they do for us and my family. The most important thing of all is that we continue working to win at least 38 at the end of the season,” he underlined.
Still in the opening stretch of the gala, António Silva received the prize for the revelation of men’s football, after a ‘vertiginous’ path to winning the title in the main team.
“I’ve been a Benfica fan since I was born 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 that always helped me and the technical team, for the confidence they always gave me. I’m here to receive this award. I am lucky to represent Benfica at the highest level”, said the 19-year-old defender, who represented Portugal in the 2022 World Cup.
The coach of the year award went to Filipa Patão, coach of the women’s soccer team, current two-time national champion and holder of the Super Cup, beating the competition from Luís Castro (professional soccer), 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 have 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. everything we project on the ground. Without them it was impossible to receive this award”, said the coach and former player of the club, in charge since 2020/21.
On the women’s side of football, the best footballer of the year was Francisca Nazareth, in front of teammates 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 been doing at a national and especially international level. Even against large teams, we show what we are capable of, in a project that is only five years old and is of great importance”, highlighted Kika Nazareth.
The canoeist Fernando Pimenta won the high competition athlete award, in a list of 11 nominees, while the swimmer Diogo Ribeiro was chosen as the revelation of the modalities, which saw handball receive 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 presented the Youth Team with the Training Award, after winning the UEFA Youth League and the Intercontinental .
List of winners of the Cosme Damião Awards:
The revelation of women’s football: Ana Seiça
The revelation of men’s football: António Silva
Project: Modernization of the Stadium
Innovation: DPA – Digital Process Automation
Partner: Betano
Merit and dedication: Arnaldo Teixeira
Disclosure modalities: Diogo Ribeiro
Modality: Handball
Benfica Houses: Benfica House in Viseu
Career: Humberto Coelho
High competition athlete: Fernando Pimenta
Coach of the Year: Filipa Patão
Formation: UEFA Youth League and Intercontinental winning youth team
Female Soccer Player of the Year: Francisca Nazareth
Tribute: Fernando Chalana
Male Soccer Player of the Year: Rafa
Source: TSF
