A Tribute To A Fallen Player: The Fans Spontaneous Commemoration Of Miklós Fehér In Benfica.
On 1 November 2006, Celtic fans watched our side lose heavily in Benfica.
Despite the 3-0 defeat, they left Portugal with the acclaim of not only the local media but news outlets across the world, ringing in their ears.
And they deserved it.
The occasion was incredibly memorable and moving even before the fans staged their impromptu tribute to a fallen Benfica player.
It was the 30th anniversary season for the Lisbon Lions, and a lot of Celtic supporters make the pilgrimage to the Estadio Nacional before the game, in order to sample the atmosphere there and pay their own tributes to that magnificent time.
The Lions themselves were in town, and they were allowed onto the pitch at half time in the game, where they were received warmly by both the Celtic and Benfica fans alike.
The game was memorable too, but that for all the wrong reasons.
Gary Caldwell had one of the worst nights of his life with a series of glaring errors – including an own goal – contributing to the scale of the loss.
It was a pretty one sided encounter.
The Celtic fans were magnificent throughout though, and it was during the second half when they unfurled a banner in honour of Miklós Fehér, who had died on the pitch whilst playing for the Portuguese club in a league match against Vitoria Guimares two years before.
The banner had his club shirt and number 29, and the words “Nunca Caminharás Sozinho” – You’ll Never Walk Alone.
The Celtic fans who had raised the money to have it made donated the banner itself, along with the rest of the cash, to Benfica, and were allowed to personally present it to their legendry striker Nuno Gomes.
The money was given to a local cardiac unit, the banner was given to the Benfica supporters for their home games.
Gomes spoke of his gratitude after the match.
“It was an unforgettable moment and a wonderful gesture,” he said. “A real milestone in terms of fair play.”
He wasn’t alone.
UEFA’s delegate that night was Sandor Berzi, a Hungarian, like Fehér, and he was personally touched, telling the media afterwards that “I was very surprised by this and expressed my thanks to the Celtic delegation at the directors’ lunch, and again when the presentation was made to the Benfica players after the game. I thanked the Celtic supporters because it was a fantastic thing they did … It’s already appeared on the website of the Hungarian Football Federation as well as other sports websites and everybody is very appreciative of what happened … And I also got in touch with his Hungarian club (Gyori ETO FC) and asked them to inform Miklos Feher’s parents as well. It is very often said that football is a big family but Celtic and its supporters have proved this.”
Looking back on those, and other, tributes still fills the heart with pride today.
