Former AEK Athens winger Manú dies in car crash near Lisbon at age 43
The Portuguese wide player, full name Emanuel Jesus Bonfim Evaristo, lost control of his vehicle on a rural road in Sobral de Monte Agraço on Saturday evening, 11 July. He was 43.
The crash
Manú, the former Benfica and AEK Athens winger, died on the evening of Saturday, 11 July 2026, when the car he was driving left the road near Vermões in the Sobral de Monte Agraço area, close to Lisbon. He was 43 years old. Portuguese outlet Flashscore first reported the news, which was later confirmed by Alverca, the club where Manú took his first significant steps as a professional, and by Benfica in an official statement.
Benfica expresses its deep sorrow at the death of Manú, a former player of the club. To his family and friends, the club extends its most sincere condolences.
Playing career
Born on 28 August 1982 in Setúbal, Portugal, Emanuel Jesus Bonfim Evaristo came through the youth ranks of Vitória Setúbal, Grupo Desportivo, and Alverca. He made his Primeira Liga debut for Alverca on 5 May 2002 against Braga. Over his career he amassed 130 appearances in Portugal's top flight, with his longest spell coming at Marítimo, where he played 61 matches.
- Makes Primeira Liga debut for Alverca against Braga.
- Plays in Italy for Modena and Carpenédolo.
- Represents Estrela Amadora in Portugal.
- Joins Benfica; 17 first-team outings in 2006/07.
- Loaned to AEK Athens, making 13 appearances.
- Spells at Marítimo (61 matches), Legia Warsaw, Beijing Guoan, and Ermis Aradippou.
- Returns to Portugal with Vitória Setúbal, later back to Cyprus and lower-league clubs.
- Ends playing career after stints at Cartaxo and Vilafranquense.
In the 2004/05 season he had a stint in Italy with Modena and Carpenédolo, and in 2005/06 he wore the colours of Estrela Amadora. He joined Benfica in 2006 and made 17 appearances for the first team in the 2006/07 campaign. The following season he was loaned to AEK Athens, where he recorded 13 appearances and introduced himself to Greek football.
International stops
After leaving Benfica in 2008, Manú embarked on a peripatetic journey across several countries. He played for Marítimo, Poland's Legia Warsaw, Beijing Guoan in China, and Ermis Aradippou in Cyprus. He returned home in 2014 to Vitória Setúbal, adding 14 more appearances before heading back to Ermis Aradippou. He closed out his playing career in the 2018/19 season following spells at Cartaxo and Vilafranquense. A third article notes that he also represented Paphos during his time in Cyprus.
Tributes
Benfica's social-media message was the most prominent reaction on the night of the accident, echoing a similar statement from Alverca. The news reverberated quickly through the Greek football community, where Manú is remembered for his single season on loan at AEK in 2007-08. The club had signed him from Benfica, where he had been under contract from 2004 to 2008.
