"Confesso que não esperava que a solidariedade tivesse esta dimensão. De manhã fiquei sensibilizado com um adepto do Sporting, com mais de 50 anos, que me disse: 'Tenho este cachecol há mais de 20 anos e quero deixá-lo na mesa de condolências.' Esta atitude diz tudo, era uma pessoa que estava chocada." --Tinoco de Faria, vice-presidente do Benfica

Gostava muito de poder escrever neste magnifico blog mais vezes e até em português, mas a verdade é que não consigo traduzir parágrafos longos em inglês para português. Tenho três dicionários e mesmo assim tenho dificuldade. Peço desculpas a quem não intender e se tiverem algume problema, por favor mandem-me um e-mail.

Na comunidade Portuguese onde eu vivo nos Estados Unidos, se sente a dor da morte de Miklos Fehér. Os cafes que estavam a transmitir o jogo, tornarão-se silenciosos em choque. Também há muitas bandeiras do Benfica e camisolas do Fehér expostas nas montras por a Ferry Street acima. (Ferry Street é a rua principal em Newark)

First and foremost, let me explain why I?m writing about Feher?s passing. In America, soccer isn?t a sport of preference. Matter of fact, it is almost non existent. Nevertheless, Portuguese immigrants depend on soccer, literally, to feel closer to home. I live in a Portuguese/Spanish oriented community, therefore, soccer is the highest means of entertainment from our native countries. A sense of pride and contentment exists when one is watching a soccer game in the country that they are apart from. Thus, no matter what team won or lost, the immigrants here enjoy soccer all embracing. We don?t solely watch soccer when ?our? team is playing, we watch soccer games no matter what team is playing, from whatever country.

Ironically, there tends to be a glorious feeling in tragic events. It is an innate attempt to comprehend and be empathetic towards what happened and attain a point of ample understanding. More so when it brings people together. Perhaps because, initially, humans are rivals. And we are, unfortunately, not supposed to embrace each other and show emotion. It?s survival of the fittest out here. However, in moments of despair, we tend to halt contemporary society?s expectancies and become the humans that the many Bibles speak of.

As I look at the images of Miklos Fehér collapsing to the ground, I cannot help but imagine the same happening to someone I know. Primarily my brother, who plays soccer. If by watching such grief striking ordeal happen on the television and feeling the sickness and shock, imagine the pain that his family is still going through. This should make life a bit more clear for everyone, imperatively to soccer fans who feel as though it is part of the sport to condone rivalry. One death, this death of a young soccer player with the his future ahead of him, has doubtlessly changed not only a soccer club, Benfica, but Portuguese soccer. Perhaps because of his last smile or his eyes opening then closing them again, or just because it happened to us, in our country, on the grounds that we the fans admire, -- but what seems to be most afflictive was his age. Whatever it is we feel, this should open up the eyes of soccer fans, soccer players and executives. Soccer is a game, a competition, but at the end of each game, the players are no longer players, they are sons, parents, brothers, et cetera. They aim to go home and be with their families, like us. Much like when an opponent falls because of an adversary and the adversary gives a hand to help him up, that?s the foundation of the sport we call soccer. Yet, we don?t see it as so. We see it as, win or win, nothing in between. If a team doesn?t perform, it?s the players? fault, the coaches? fault. It?s never, ?you lose and you win.? However, I saw something different days that came after Miklos? passing. All of a sudden, the word soccer, in Portugal, pertained to all clubs united as one. One sole team.

I never understood why Benfica and Sporting were ardent rivals. They are the epitome of professional soccer in Portugal. The best players in the world come from these two teams. So, expectedly, when I saw Dias Da Cunha and Luis Filipe Vieira, two supposed rivals, hug each other profoundly, I caught myself emotional. It took a tragedy for two people to look at each other eye to eye, and express their humanistic side, the side that once existed when soccer originated. But that was not what made me reflect initially. I reflected because a life was lost, and in the moment I saw the images of all the players crying and praying on camp and how for one split second nothing mattered to them but their teammate and their opponent. No rivalry, no competition, no pushing, no remarks, no dirty looks, no goals. Just hope mixed with desperation. Players from Guimarães hugging players from Benfica, wiping tears away. When ever else does this happen? Unfortunately, hardly, if never.

Miklos Fehér will remain, in a sense a Portuguese soccer player. He came to Portugal as a kid and lived there many years. He will always be remembered not only by his last smile, or his last assist or playing for a great team, -- he will be remembered because he had incredible potential and a life full of possibilities in front of him. Unfortunately, all was halted at the tender age of 24.

I believe Benfica will continue his legacy. I believe Benfica will overcome this despite it being an inflicting psychological wound. I want to believe that as soccer fans, we will remain aware of what happened. I hope each time a fan has a fight with another fan or starts riots, they will remember the day that Portugal's many soccer teams came together as one. Yes, we all have a preference for a team. But we also have the tendency to forget that we all have the love for soccer in common. A young life lost, has created unity, the unity that takes us to games, which is, the love for soccer. Without players we wouldn't have soccer, so indeed Miklos Feher is a missing piece in the world of soccer.

I do not speak on behalf of masses because I simply don't feel entitled to do so, but on behalf of Sporting fans, we send our condolences to Benfica, the fans and Miklos Feher's family.

Miklos, jamais será esquecido. Não porque a sua jovem vida foi curta, mas porque ias um dia ser um grande jogadore. Sempre nos corações dos adeptos de futebol.

Miklos Fehér 1979-2004