PORTUGUESE giants Benfica have been around for over a century but have you ever noticed the hidden meaning behind their club badge?
Benfica are one of the big three teams in Portugal alongside Porto and Sporting Lisbon and have never been relegated.
They are nicknamed The Eagles because of the symbol which sits at the top of the club’s crest.
Benfica were originally known as Sport Lisboa and played their first match in 1905.
In 1908 they acquired Grupo Sport Benfica and changed their name to Sport Lisboa e Benfica as a result of the merger.
This is when they added something to their crest which has nothing to do with football.
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In the background of the crest is a bike wheel which was added because cycling represented the most important sport of Grupo Sport Benfica.
The wheel has remained part of the Benfica crest ever since.
Benfica are the most successful club in Portugal having won a total of 85 trophies in their history.
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They were the first Portuguese club to achieve the domestic treble in 2014 and have won the Portuguese league a record 38 times.
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The Eagles wrapped up their first Portuguese title in four years last weekend with a 3-0 win over Santa Clara.
Roger Schmidt’s men only suffered four defeats in all competitions with three of those coming in April.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
