Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Beautiful coastlines, Port wine, exceptional cuisine, and ancient explorers: These elements make Portugal a well-known country internationally. But there is one missing detail that we are about to discuss here. Yes, we are talking about Portugal as one of the greatest football nations globally.
Though Eusebio was the country's first true superstar player back in the 1960s, Portugal produced many other great names in the decades to follow (perhaps the name Cristiano Ronaldo rings a bell). Such an outstanding sports history would not be possible without top-level clubs that turned this Mediterranean gem into a soccer sensation. In this post, we will present you with the most successful football clubs in Portugal.
The first thing you ought to know about Portuguese football clubs is that all of them have entire armies of loyal supporters. These fans do all they can to support their favorite teams – they attend matches, purchase merchandise, and even partake in sports betting as a way to prove their sports passion. When they come back from the stadium, many spectators actually end up on the best casino online sites in order to play soccer-themed slot games. It's obviously a unique way to add even more excitement to the life of a devoted football fan.
But who are they rooting for? And what are the best clubs in Portugal? Let's check them out one by one.
FC Porto is certainly the country's most illustrious soccer team due to its amazing successes and historical importance. It was established in 1893 to become the most influential among all Portugal clubs.
We all tend to measure greatness based on tangible achievements, so let's see what FC Porto has to offer. The club won 30 Primeira Liga titles, but its success extends beyond domestic borders. A couple of the biggest trophies includes two Champions League titles in 1987 and 2004, respectively. In total, FC Porto collected more than 80 trophies.
There are many players who left an indelible mark on the club's history. For instance, we cannot help but mention Deco, the maestro of midfield orchestrations who led the team to the Champions League title in 2004. On the other hand, the legendary goalkeeper Vitor Baia exemplified Porto's defensive prowess.
Lisbon football teams are an anchor of the Portuguese sport. One of them is Sporting Lisbon, a club founded in 1906. An interesting fact about this team is the actual name: Though most people simply call it Sporting Lisbon, the real name is Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Sporting won 19 national league titles and 17 Taça de Portugal trophies (national cup). However, their crowning achievement came in 1964 when they clinched the UEFA Champions League (aka the European Cup back then).
You probably noticed that Porto collected more trophies than Sporting, but the situation is different when it comes to notable players. That's because Sporting gave us two of the most gifted athletes the country has ever seen: Luis Figo and almighty Cristiano Ronaldo.
The list of the best Portugal football clubs is obviously incomplete before mentioning Benfica. The second Lisbon-based team on our list was founded in 1904, and it quickly became the league's strongest force.
To date, Benfica collected as many as 38 Primeira Liga titles and 26 Taça de Portugal. Both of these figures are records in Portuguese football. On an international level, Benfica took part in 10 finals and won back-to-back European Cup trophies in 1961 and 1962, respectively.
As a 118-year-old team, Benfica polished some of the country's most famous players. Number one definitely goes to Eusebio, the club's best player overall. Known as the Black Panther, Eusebio possessed truly unparalleled goal-scoring abilities. More recently, Rui Costa built his career as a gifted playmaker who eventually ended up winning multiple titles in Italy's AC Milan.
Of course, the national league has a lot more to offer besides these three names. Though we don't want to take too much time away from you, it is necessary to add a few notable mentions:
Each of these teams made a special contribution to the country's rich soccer history, but the list could honestly go on like this forever – even the smallest local teams add a valuable dose of charm to the country's football culture.
The only thing left to add here is that Portugal – with all of its amazing soccer teams – remains one of the world's football superpowers. Though we are still waiting for local clubs to present a new Eusebio or Cristiano Ronaldo, young generations led by Rafael Leao and other talented players make Portugal a heavy favorite in all tournaments regardless of the competition.
My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
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