Vangelis Pavlidis makes history with Benfica in Europa League win

Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis made a significant impact on October 16, 2026, during Benfica's Europa League match against Celtic. Coming on as a substitute, the 27-year-old scored in the 89th minute to finalize a 4-1 victory for his team.

With this goal, Pavlidis reached a career milestone of 75 goals and 21 assists in 125 matches for Benfica. This achievement moves him into fourth place among the club's all-time top foreign scorers, surpassing Haris Seferovic and tying Michael Manniche. He now trails only Mats Magnusson (87), Jonas (137), and Oscar Cardozo (172) in this category. For perspective, the club's all-time leading scorer remains the legendary Eusebio with 473 goals.

Following his prolific start to the season with 15 goals, Pavlidis is currently experiencing the best form of his career. These performances have drawn interest from Premier League clubs, leading Benfica to initiate discussions regarding a contract extension to secure his future at the Estadio da Luz.