For our first feature on a top European football team we travel to Portugal's capital, Lisbon, and visit the country's most successful club, Benfica. Based in the Luz district, Sport Lisboa e Benfica is in fact a multi-sports club, but it is its football team that we turn to.

Benfica was formed in 1904 and called the old Estadio da Luz (the Stadium of Light) their home from the start. They have won the Portuguese Liga 31 times and the Portuguese Cup on 27 occasions. To that they have added four national Supercups. However, it is their record in the major European competitions that underline their history and pedigree.

Benfica have appeared in no fewer than seven European Cup (Champions League) finals. Their first final, in 1961, saw them beat Spain's Barcelona 3-2 in Bern, Switzerland. On the way to the championship, they scored a phenomenal amount of goals. First, they thrashed Hearts of Scotland in Edinburgh 5-1, and beat Ujpest Dozsa of Hungary 7-4 in Lisbon. They then dealt AGF of Denmark the same fate in a 7-2 trouncing on the road before downing Rapid Vienna 4-2 in the semifinal.

The following year they retained the trophy, this time beating Real Madrid 5-3 in Amsterdam. Again, their goal-scoring was impressive. Benfica dominated Austria Vienna 2-6 at home and then crushed Nuremburg 3-7 in Germany.

Five other finals, however, ended in Benfica's defeat, including their 2-1 loss to AC Milan in 1963. Two years later, despite having scored an incredible 27 goals in just four games leading to the final, they lost 1-0 to the other Milan club, Internazionale.

In 1968, Benfica nearly went out in the first round to Northern Ireland's Glentoran, narrowly avoiding a shocking defeat. By the time the team reached the semifinal, they were back in top form, beating Italy's Juventus 3-0. That just left Manchester United in the final.

The final, at Wembley Stadium in London, still remains one of the most memorable of all time. Benfica had legendary Portguese star Eusebio in their lineup, alongside many other international stars. However, United had Bobby Charlton and, of course, the unbelievably talented George Best. Both Charlton and Best scored in a 4-1 extra-time win, sending Benfica back to Lisbon empty-handed.

It would be 20 years before Benfica made another final appearance. But again, they lost, this time on penalties to PSV Eindhoven from Holland following a 0-0 draw in Stuttgart. In 1990 they were back for their seventh final, losing 1-0 to a star-studded AC Milan side. In 1983, Benfica lost the UEFA Cup final 2-1 on aggregate to Belgian's Anderlecht, and their last Portuguese Liga Championship came in 2004.