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Sport Lisboa e Benfica (commonly referred to as simply Benfica) is a football club based in Lisbon, Portugal. Benfica was founded in 1904 as Sport Lisboa, but underwent a name change in 1908 after merging with Sport Club de Benfica.

Benfica was one of Europe's first powerhouses, and was the first team to break Real Madrid's dominance in the early European Champions Cup. Having won two European Cups in a row ( 1961 and 1962), the Lisbon side never managed to win a European trophy again, despite losing several ECC finals to AC Milan ( 1962 and 1989), InternazionaleFootball Club Internazionale Milano (commonly known as Inter Milan is an Italian football club, playing in the Serie A (first division). The club was founded on 9 March 1908 following a split from the Milan Cricket and Football Club, now known as AC Milan ( 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort), Manchester United ( 1967Events January January 4 British motorboat racer Donald Campbell dies while attempting a water speed record in Coniston Lake. January 4 Algerian revolutionary Mohammed Khider is shot in Madrid. January 6 Vietnam War: USMC and ARVN troops launch " Operatio) and PSV ( 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day.), plus a UEFA CupThe UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams. It was founded in May 1955 as the Inter-Cities' Fairs Cup. It is the second most important competition for European club teams, the first being the UEFA Champions League. Qualification for th in 1982 ( Anderlecht). In 1968, was considered the best European Team, By France Football . Many of its successes in the 1960s were with all-time football great Eusébio in the side.

During the 1970s the team faded slightly from the European scene, but still managed to continue as the main force inside Portuguese football. However, financial problems began undermining the club from the inside. In the 1980's the board decided to close the third level in the Estádio da Luz, and a terrible signing policy (which included squads composed of well over 30 players, signing players for hefty sums which had no sportive or financial return, and signing Portuguese star Futre in the early 1990's), creating several problems in the years ahead. Consequently, the lowest point in recent (and many agree ever) Benfica's history was the heavy 7-0 loss against Celta Vigo for the UEFA Cup, followed by a sixth place and a fourth place that ruled them out of European competitions for the first time in history.

Recently, the club seems to be heading towards brighter waters.

Benfica play their home games in the new Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (unofficially "Estádio da Luz", literally the stadium of light) - which is partly built on top of the old stadium grounds -, one of Europe's largest sporting stadiums and host of the Euro 2004 final. They are Portugal's most decorated football side, having won 30 domestic league titles, 24 Portuguese Cups, and two European Cups.

As an athletic club, Benfica also field teams in basketball, roller hockey, indoor football ( futsal), volleyball, handball, water polo, rugby and an athletics team. In total Benfica have 12 international titles: 3 in football (two European Cups- 60/61 and 61/62 -, one latina cup - 49/50); one in roller hockey (CERS Cup - 90/91); 3 in rugby (Iberian Cup) and 5 in athletics ( Athletics European Cup ).