News

Teammates Pay Tribute to Seninho

The former Cosmos winger passed away at the age of 71
Published Jul 13, 2020

Seninho, the speedy winger who joined the Cosmos from FC Porto in 1978, passed away from pulmonary complications, according to the Portuguese giants and other media outlets in Porto on July 4th. It took a few days for the sad news to spread throughout Cosmos Country, where he won three NASL titles (1978, 1980, 1982), plus another with the Chicago Sting (1984).

A legend at Porto, where he played from 1969-72 and 1974-78, Seninho helped the Dragões win their first league title in nearly two decades. Born in what is now known as Lubango, Angola, he won the Angolan league in 1973 with FC Moxico while serving in the Portuguese military as a medic.

His two goals at Old Trafford in the 1977 UEFA Cup loss to Manchester United are still the stuff of legend at Porto. But his first goal with the Cosmos may be his most famous of the 11 he scored in 58 appearances over four seasons in New York. Werner Roth was the club captain when Seninho arrived, and he remembers the goal vividly. Playing with guest player Johan Cruyff against the FIFA World All-Stars, the Dutch Master began dribbling with three defenders towards the corner flag, puzzling his teammates and opponents alike, then suddenly back-heeled the ball to the edge of the penalty area. Seninho alone had intuited this bit of magic, as he “was already charging and meets it head-on and hammers a rocket right into the upper right-hand corner,” recalls Roth. “These guys played on a whole different level.” The Hall of Fame defender was instantly impressed with the team’s new winger, who easily “took most defenders to the cleaners. Speed, skill, hard-shot – you gave him a chance he took it. But a great team player … never greedy with the ball.”

On a team known for big egos and dynamic personalities, Seninho’s willingness to share the ball matched his relaxed, jovial personality. “He was such a nice, nice guy. Super quiet. He was such a gentleman,” according to Boris Bandov, who recalls former head coach of the New York Football Giants, Allie Sherman once remarking that “if I had a wide receiver like Seninho with the change of speed and the cutting … he’d be one of the best receivers in the NFL.”

Seninho, whose full name was Arsénio Rodrigues Jardim, had a couple nicknames with the Cosmos. Because of his love for disco dancing, one was Travolta. Bandov burst into laughter recalling one famous Seninho as Travolta moment:

We were in a disco. We used to go for preseason in Bahamas for a month. So, there was like 5-6 of us, Giorgio Chingalia, Seninho, a couple others and me, and there were a lot of girls in the disco. So, his English was always…everything he did was always polite. So because he loved to dance and in the middle of the disco there was a big round mirror and he asked this girl to dance, some strange girl, he started dancing and she says “sure,” he started dancing and looks at the mirror and he starts dancing in front of the mirror and the girl just took off. She just left. So, Giorgio says “what the is this…? What is the matter with you?”

Because of his demeanor and his fashion sense, another nickname Bandov still uses for his former teammate is Elegante. But David Norris recalls one night his rookie season when that reputation was in peril for the Angolan-Portuguese veteran:

It was in the Soccer Bowl 81 when we were up in Toronto we had one of these black tie dinners a couple of nights before the upcoming game – they had one of these galas. We all got fitted for tuxedos. Finally, the tuxedos get delivered to our rooms and I’m putting on my tuxedo and it’s way too small…it just doesn’t fit me and I’m thinking “it’s too late to do any changes” and I’m thinking “what are they gonna say?” So, I put on this tuxedo and its busting at the seams. Then I see Seninho. And his tuxedo is way too big for him its hanging - the trousers are too long, the jacket’s too big - and we both looked at each other and just started laughing our heads off. They had swapped my tuxedo for Seninho’s. And I know that it was Boris who did this…they set up a bloody prank between Seninho and myself. And then we laughed with each other and we changed tuxedos and everything turned out okay. It was so funny. And, of course, Boris denied everything…

It would have been out of character for Seninho to react in any other way to such a prank but with laughter. “I don’t think he ever had an argument in his life,” says Bandov.

Perhaps the hardest hit by the news was Chico Borja, who quickly bonded with his “roomie” as a rookie in 1982. “He was always happy, always smiling, he never let things bother him at all,” says Borja. “When I heard the news it hurt, it hurt me. He was more than a friend, more like a brother to me, like an older brother as I came into the Cosmos.”

Fans remember the speed and the power of the winger. Seninho was often used as a supersub, exploiting exhausted opponents coming on late with a timely assist or goal.

But, his teammates recall a dear friend who radiated positivity and selflessness. You get the sense from them it was his innate goodness that made him a true champion. Their love for him and for each other is evident as they share their memories of their time together, making it clear how crucial Seninho was, not just on the pitch but off the pitch.

The New York Cosmos extend deepest condolences to the family of Seninho.