Eusébio, who must not need any introduction, has passed away at the age of 71. Across the world people in the same line of professional activity mourned in less or more official manners. In Portugal the government decreed 3 days of national mourning, a nearly state funeral and various members of parliament are (being) positioned to prepare the general public for a burial inside Lisbon's Pantheon.
It is impressive to see people from all angles of society honouring a person upon his death. That certainly says something about the person's life.
The immediate following nationwide debate that has arisen is particularly less honorous and has all the yummie and yackie ingredients we so often see in other matters of national interest. It is almost ironic that a building which took more than 200 years to be concluded is the centre piece of all this because that is probably how long it will take to arrive some general consent.
On one hand, there is the will of the masses arguably biased by the colours of their football club grasping an opportunity to tie their club into a form of immortality. Then, there is the nearly arrogant but ever so typical patronizing lecturing of what a population should (not) want, coming from opinion makers and commentators, some of which may very well end up next to Eusébio in the foreseeable future. Somewhere in the middle are politicians, eager to produce some heroic symbol, possibly not very different from the times of Roman emperors seeking to entertain a crowd. The facts are that hardly anyone is indifferent and arguably that could allow this to take a genuine democratic course.
With Eusébio nearly sidelined, the debate enters into the interpretations of the law that defines who should (and thus should not) be entitled to what is perceived by all as the ultimate and sole resting place for national heroes.
The word that is singled out from the law is "culture" amongst the various categories that would allow or dictate the remains of a personality to be moved into the Pantheon. One may not like the idea, but it will be difficult to argue that - in Portugal - football is not an aspect of (popular and general) culture. There is a little Cristiano Ronaldo in all of us, according to the Minister charged with a still struggling economy.
Then again, following this rationale, perhaps the Pantheon should make room for whom has been responsible for spreading mobile phones, shopping malls, or indeed, the Meditteranean diet.
So here's a suggestion for all those that truly wish to honour Eusébio and everything he has brought about.
Build a big palace, as round as a ball, twice or three times the size of the National Pantheon, covered by gold leaf and red carpets (and/or blue, green), a true temple for all those topplayers that once were, still are or will be larger than life itself. A place of worship accesible to all those that want to be, could have a tremendous touristic potential beyond borders.
I am sure money is not an issue in this line of professional activity, it never is.
