Portugal has a rich footballing history. From third place at the 1966 World Cup to winning Euro 2016, the country has enjoyed some extremely enjoyable periods.
Legendary footballers such as Eusébio and Coluna in the 1960s, and Cristiano Ronaldo today, are among the world’s most talented players.
Almost all of these players have played for one of the country’s 3 symbolic clubs, Benfica, Sporting or FC Porto. Although their prestige has diminished in recent times, these clubs are still among the most prestigious in Europe.
Without further ado, discover our top 10 of the best Portuguese players in history.
10. Nuno Gomes
Nuno Gomes is without doubt one of the greatest Portuguese strikers of all time. He was extremely skilful in front of goal, scoring over 200 times during his career. However, the Portuguese player also possessed excellent vision, regularly distributing decisive passes to his team-mates.
With the Portuguese team, Nuno Gomes was often decisive in important moments. However, this has not prevented him from suffering some major disappointments. These include the semi-final loss to France at Euro 2000, the final loss to Greece four years later, and fourth place at the 2006 World Cup. Despite all this, Nuno Gomes is one of the top scorers in the history of the Euros.
9. Pepe
Pepe is considered one of the greatest defenders in Portugal’s history. Physically robust, he is known for his hard tackling and aggressive play. A legend with FC Porto and Real Madrid, Pepe has an impressive collection of trophies, both for club and country.
After starting his career with CS Maritimo, he joined Porto and won his first league and cup titles. Pepe then moved to Spain and Real Madrid, where he remained for 10 seasons. Alongside Sergio Ramos, he formed one of the best defences in Europe for a decade. During his time at Real, Pepe won the Champions League 3 times and La Liga 3 times.
Originally from Brazil, Pepe quickly made the decision to join the Portuguese national team, although he had to wait until he was 24 to obtain Portuguese nationality. He was immediately called up to the national team and has now made 133 appearances. Pepe was one of Portugal’s most talented players when they won the Euro in 2016. He was also named man of the match in the final against France.
8. Pauleta
Pauleta is one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time, but he is also a legendary PSG striker. He is a real predator in the penalty area, very skilful with the ball and always accurate in front of goal. Pauleta is a versatile striker, gifted with both feet and head, and equally adept at working with his team-mates.
With the Portuguese national team, Pauleta took part in international competitions from 2000 to 2006. He reached the semi-finals of Euro 2000, was a finalist at Euro 2004 and reached the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup. In all, Pauleta scored 332 goals in 620 appearances in all competitions during his career. Truly remarkable statistics.
7. Mário Coluna
Mário Coluna is a legendary attacking midfielder, as well known for his national team as for his lifelong club Benfica. Born in Mozambique in 1935, Coluna is Portuguese, as Mozambique is still a Portuguese colony. Unquestionably a leader and a warrior on the pitch, he was the heart and soul of the great Benfica team of the 1960s.
With the Portuguese national team, Coluna played in 57 matches and scored 8 goals. He was mainly part of the team that finished 3rd in the 1966 World Cup, alongside Eusébio, with whom he was also team-mates at club level. Mário Coluna is without doubt one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time.
6. Deco
We return to the 2000s with one of the best midfielders of the decade. Deco was the master of the game at Porto, Barcelona and for the Portuguese national team, thanks to his precise passing and his ability to read the game. As well as being an excellent passer, he also scored around a hundred goals throughout his career.
Deco became a Portuguese citizen and began his career abroad in 2003. Just as at his club, he quickly proved to be an indisputable and essential player for his team. An outstanding performer at Euro 2000, where Portugal reached the final, he was even more brilliant at the 2006 World Cup, despite being eliminated in the semi-final.
5. Paulo Futre
A great icon for FC Porto and Athletico Madrid, Paulo Futre is one of the most talented Portuguese players of all time. His speed, feints and skill with the ball have made him an extremely effective winger. Some have even compared him to the legendary Maradona. In addition to his technical skills, Futre had the ability to create and finish.
With the national team, Paulo Futre never had a truly successful tournament. He played 41 games for the national team between 1983 and 1995, scoring 6 goals. His only involvement in a major tournament was the 1986 World Cup, where Portugal were eliminated in the first round. However, that didn’t stop him from coming second in the 1987 Ballon d’Or.
4. Rui Costa
Rui Costa is an attacking midfielder and a remarkable creator of the game. Highly skilful and possessing excellent passing accuracy, he was an essential member of every team he played for. Rui Costa was also renowned for his consistently accurate long-range shots, whether in play or from set-pieces.
Winner of the Under-20 World Cup with Portugal, Rui Costa began his international career on a positive note. However, he was unable to repeat the feat with the main team. He was eliminated in the Euro quarter-finals in 1996, the semi-finals in 2000 and the final in 2004. With 94 appearances and 26 goals, he is considered one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time.
3. Luis Figo
Luis Figo is one of the most talented strikers of his generation. His exploits for the Portuguese national team and major clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan have made him a veritable icon. Extremely skilful and strong, he excelled at passing thanks to his exceptional perception of the game. Luis Figo is also included in our ranking of the ten best side-footed players of all time.
With the national team, Figo made 127 appearances and scored 32 goals. Despite appearing in the Euro 2000 final, he failed to win a major title with Portugal. Nevertheless, his mesmerising dribbles and magnificent goals left their mark on a whole generation of Portuguese players. In addition to his many goals, he is also one of the greatest passers of all time. His Ballon d’Or award in 2000 testifies to his status as one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time.
2. Eusebio
Eusébio is one of the most important icons in Portuguese football, and indeed in world football. He was a remarkable striker, capable of scoring in any situation. With 631 goals in 650 matches, he is one of the top 10 scorers in the history of football. Eusébio had impressive speed and perfect ball control. He could dribble past any defender, while remaining focused, and deliver precise passes or score a goal.
In 1966, Eusebio made a remarkable impression at the World Cup. In the quarter-finals, with Portugal losing 3-0, he scored four goals to lead his side into the semi-finals. He was the tournament’s top scorer with 9 goals, helping his team to third place. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1965, confirming his immense talent. This puts Eusebio in second place in our ranking of the greatest Portuguese footballers of all time.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best Portuguese footballers of all time. He is a real workaholic and has a robust body thanks to his constant training to become even better. CR7 is an excellent goalscorer, capable of scoring in any situation thanks to his agility with both feet and his head. He is also one of the all-time top scorers with 837 goals in 1166 games.
After making his debut with Sporting, Cristiano Ronaldo quickly became a Manchester United player. In the space of six seasons with the club, he managed to win the Premier League three times, the FA Cup once and, above all, the Champions League in 2008. In 2009, CR7 joined Real Madrid a year later. He won La Liga twice and the Spanish Cup twice with Madrid. But the four LDCs won in the space of five years remain the most impressive.
Portugal’s first successes came in the final of Euro 2004 and in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup. From 2007 onwards, he took on the role of team manager for the Portuguese national team. Finally, he won his first international title at Euro 2016.
One of only two players to have won the Ballon d’Or five times is Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also the all-time top scorer for Real, Portugal and the LDC. He is now one of the richest sportsmen in the world, thanks to his successes and lucrative advertising contracts. There is no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best Portuguese footballer of all time.
Leave a Reply