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"Ser Benfiquista" (Portuguese pronunciation: [seɾ βɐ̃jfiˈkiʃtɐ]; English: "Being a Benfiquista") is the current anthem of Portuguese sports club S.L. Benfica.

The song acknowledges Benfica's humble beginnings and shows that being a benfiquista (a supporter of Benfica) is more than being a football fan. It is sung before every home match and sometimes during the match. It was written by Manuel Paulino Gomes Júnior and first sung on 16 April 1953 by tenor Luís Piçarra in the presence of 6,000 benfiquistas at a sarau in Benfica's old arena Pavilhão dos Desportos, with the goal of raising money to build the original Estádio da Luz.

The original anthem, composed by Félix Bermudes in 1929, was called "Avante Benfica" ("Onward Benfica"). It was censored by the Estado Novo in 1942 because of the political connotation of the word avante, which was considered an affront to the establishment.

References

1. ^ Weiss, Jessica (27 March 2012). "For Soccer Fans, Showing Support in Song". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
2. Pereira, Luís Miguel (November 2009). Bíblia do Benfica [Benfica Bible] (in Portuguese) (7th ed.). Portugal: Prime Books. p. 144. ISBN 978-989-655-005-9.
3. Sousa, Hugo Daniel; Curado, Paulo (25 April 2013). "O futebol é mais instrumentalizado hoje do que foi durante o Estado Novo" [Football today is more orchestrated than it was during the Estado Novo]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 June 2015.
4. "Salazar proibiu hino ao Benfica" [Salazar banned Benfica's anthem]. A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 June 2015.
5. Pereira, Luís Miguel (November 2009). Bíblia do Benfica [Benfica Bible] (in Portuguese) (7th ed.). Portugal: Prime Books. p. 191. ISBN 978-989-655-005-9.

External links

• Ser Benfiquista - Hino do Benfica (Benfica's Anthem) on YouTube
• Ser Benfiquista lyrics (in Portuguese)

• Portuguese songs
• S.L. Benfica
• Association football songs and chants
• Songs in Portuguese
• 1953 songs