Maputo (Mozambique), March 27 (IANS): Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho started his visit in Maputo paying tribute to Mario Coluna, former Benfica star and Portugal football captain who passed away last month.

Coelho, who will be attending the second bilateral summit between Portugal and its former colony Mozambique, said Wednesday that Coluna was a figure whose contribution was beyond football domain, reports Xinhua.

"Mario Coluna was a great player to the world, Mozambique and Portugal, his contribution to people who had the chance of being close to him was beyond the football domain, this is the reason why in the name of Portuguese nation and myself, express our admiration for Coluna as well as to pay tribute to his family and to the entire Mozambican government," said Coelho.

The prime minister visited the grave of Coluna where he laid a wreath in recognition to the contribution Coluna has given particular to Portugal between the 50s and 70s before returning to Mozambique after the independence.

Coluna, a midfielder who died Feb 25 in Maputo, played alongside with the late Eusebio Silva, in the Portuguese league for Benfica team and also for the Portuguese national squad. He helped Benfica win the European Cup in 1961 and 1962 before captaining Portugal to third place in the 1966 World Cup in England.