The Twelve of England twelve, with a more nationalist tone, apparently inspired by his research into Camões and Garrett, but also possibly motivated by the 1890 British Ultimatum, which had provoked a strong anti-British feeling in republican-nationalist circles in Portugal at that time. The legend took a new life when the Portugal national football team made their debut at the 1966 FIFA World Cup hosted in England. Led by eventual top-scorer Eusébio, they reached third place in the tournament. The Portuguese newspaper press gave the fabled team the nickname "Os Magriços", in reference to the "Twelve of England". Although the legend was familiar to
Fernando Mendes (footballer, born 1966) Belenenses, then joined hometown's Vitória de Setúbal, for his first season in the second division, which ended in promotion. After helping the "Sadinos" to retain their league status, he retired from professional football with top division totals of 321 games and 12 goals; he also received 11 full caps in one decade, but did not attend any major international tournament. Fernando Mendes (footballer, born 1966) Fernando Manuel Antunes Mendes (born 5 November 1966 in Setúbal) is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a left back. Having brought up at Sporting Clube de Portugal's youth system at the same time