The All-Time XI: Portugal
What I plan on bringing you in the upcoming weeks is a series of All-Time XIs from a range of different countries from around the footballing world. What better place to start than in my own country? Your Reigning, Defending, European Champions! I present to you my All Time XI of Portuguese players.
As a country that’s always been a constant producer of wingers and attacking midfielders there were some hard decisions to be made in certain positions… others not so much as there’s a few clear cut winners of their position due to our lack of production of talent at that specific position.
It’s only right that the formation Portugal lines up in is our bread and butter, the 4–3–3.
Goalkeeper: Vitor Baia
(Porto, Barcelona)
80 Caps for Portugal
One of the easier choices of the XI in my opinion (Sorry Rui Patricio) but Vitor Baia is the clear cut best Portuguese keeper ever. A perfect blend of athleticism, instinct and leadership. A Porto youth product who split his career between Porto and Barcelona(yuck) and was a major reason Porto shocked the world in 03–04 by winning the Champions league vs Monaco.
A true leader for the national team. He was captain from 1992–2000 where he amassed a total of 80 caps for the national team and appeared in 5 major tournaments for Portugal.
Rightback: João Domingos Pinto
(Porto)
70 caps for Portugal
The easiest choice for me on this list. Joao Pinto was the epitome of hard nosed, gritty fullback. Not the attacking style of fullback we have nowadays, but more so the type that’ll take your shins home if you try some shit. A Porto lifer who was raised and retired in the Dragao where he won 9 league titles among other trophies in his 16 years at FCP.
His captaincy, carried over from Porto to Portugal where he was captain for more than 40 of his appearances. He’s also one of the most beloved Portuguese ballers shown in 1994 when Portugal saw their chances at qualifying for the 94 World cup dashed by Italy, he walked off the pitch in tears where he earned his nickname “Capitao”.
Centerback: Fernando Couto
(Porto, Parma, Barcelona, Lazio)
110 caps for Portugal
The original Portuguese GOON Defender and among one of the players I looked up to and respected most. A man who’s played for a who’s who of European clubs in his 20+ year career. Couto is also a Porto youth product that spent some of his prime years abroad in Italy with Parma and Lazio where he won a league, an Italian Cup and a Super Cup and in Spain at Barcelona (yuck again) where he also won a League title, a Copa Del Rey among others.
For Portugal he was Pepe in a time where being Pepe was not only accepted but necessary to defend with how loosely the game was called. A rabid defender who never shied away from the hard tackle. A member of the ‘Golden generation” (sigh). The first Portuguese player to amass 100 caps and was given the honor of being the Captain of Euro 2004, which was in Portugal.
Centerback: Pepe
(Maritmo, Porto, Real Madrid)
78 caps for Portugal
Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira aka Pepe aka the Goon Lord aka the Enforcer aka Ronaldo’s BFF is my personal favorite defender of all time and even with that I deliberated with adding him to the XI as he’s technically not Portuguese but he’s been too important and too good as a representative of Portugal to be left out. An adopted son of Portugal who’s spent the last 14 years of his life there. Leaving Corinthians youth system in 95 he moved to Portugal and joined Martimo where he spent 2 years before being snatched up by Porto, that is the point where he made himself, known to world football. Spending the next 3 years of his career there he amassed a super cup and 2 league titles before being called up to the big leagues in 2007 when Schuster chose Pepe to be one of the future cornerstones of the Madrid defense that was moving on from Roberto Carlos and Hierro.
A polarizing player for good and bad reasons, He’s as capable of making a counter goal starting pass as he is to make a reckless foul and get a red in the first 15 mins of a game, his play however is more good than bad. His pace and athleticism for a centerback is one of the reasons he’s been one of the world’s best for the better part of a decade, being able to take dangerous angles or attempt a tackle up the pitch isn’t an issue when you have the speed and ability to close further down the pitch if the initial tackle is missed.
There’s nothing left for Pepe to win besides a world cup. He has reached the mountaintop with Real Madrid twice as a 2 time Champions League winner and 2 time league winner and now with Portugal he has the international title that Portugal has craved and begged for. A 3 time Euro team of the tourney selected player who has suited up for Portugal a total of 78 times and still counting.
Leftback: Fabio Coentrao
(Benfica, Real Madrid, Monaco)
51 Caps for Portugal
By default, Fabio Coentrao is the greatest left back in Portuguese history. The Rio Ave youth product was bought up by Benfica at the age of 17 and after a few loan spells went on to star at the Lisbon club and rack up a domestic double before heading over to Real Madrid as a fullback in 2011 as part of a Cash and player swap with Ezequiel Garay. The attack minded fullback starred under fellow Porkchop, Jose Mourinho. Although an injury prone player, he has featured in over 50 games for Madrid and won the League in his first year and then being apart of the 2013 Champions League winning Madrid Side. He spent last season on loan at Monaco where he also suffered with injuries, playing only 15 games.
A National team standout since the age of 17. He was one of the stars of the 2007 U20 world Cup in Canada where he started to get recognized and has been a fixture of Portuguese sides (when healthy) while being versatile enough that he’s played a minimum of 5 positions for the National team. Despite being a victim of the injury bug for the last few years he has amassed 50+ caps for Portugal and looks to get back to featuring for his homeland now that’s he’s on the road to being match fit again.
Central Midfielder: Mario Coluna
(Benfica, Lyon)
Now is the time where we hop in the Delorean and take a trip back to the old days. Mario Coluna is recognized as one of the best midfielders of his generation by former players and coaches from that era. A true box to box midfielder who could drop back and win possession all while making the forward run and burying the shot from 30 yards into the top corner of the goal. Born in Mozambique, he was spotted by a Benfica scout at the age of 18 where he was immediately signed and featured for over 16 years and 360 games. The Yin to Eusebio’s Yang in the Golden age of Benfica that saw him win 2 European Cups, 10 League titles and 5 Portuguese Cups.
Considered the most underrated player in Portuguese history, he is as responsible for Portugal winning 3rd place in the 66 World Cup as anyone, including Eusebio. A leader of men who was captain of Portugal for a 4 year stretch.
Attacking Midfielder: Paulo Futre
(Sporting, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Marseille, AC Milan)
41 caps for Portugal
A player I had to put on this list due to sheer talent and skill. Out of position a bit as he is a natural winger who has played a bit as an attacking midfielder. A player who was as good as creating a chance for a teammate on goal as he was finishing one, a speedster who would sprint by you or put you in a blender with some on ball skill that would leave you in the dust. One of the first Portuguese players to play for each of the “Big 3” Portuguese clubs (Benfica, Sporting, Porto) all while spending the prime of his career at Atletico Madrid before they were cool. The trophy cabinet isn’t as full as other players on this list but he has won titles in Portugal, Spain and Italy. He was awarded the Silver Ball in 1987 which is 2nd to the Ballon d’Or, finishing behind Ruud Gullit by a narrow margin.
A 12-year representative of the National Team, he featured over 40 times for Portugal. He debuted at 17 years old and was a major reason Portugal qualified for the 1990 World Cup, even when Portugal wasn’t tipped to qualify.
Attacking Midfielder: Rui Costa
(Benfica, Fiorentina, AC Milan)
94 caps for Portugal
Rui Costa is not only one of the best midfielders ever, he is my favorite player ever and my idol. The definition of a complete player. There is not a damn thing on the pitch he couldn’t do, Pass, shoot, dribble, defend, ball skill, I can go on and on. The crown jewel of Benfica’s youth system who was at the club from 1977 to 1994 where he moved onto Fiorentina due to a financial crisis in the Lisbon club. He’s known for a goal he scored for Fiorentina in the Champions League vs Benfica and immediately broke down in tears as “it hurt to score vs a club that is my life” That type of loyalty and passion is what makes me one of the most beloved athletes in the country’s history. He spent 5 years at Milan following his 7-year stint at Fiorentina, where he went on to add to his trophy collection. Eventually he went back to Benfica to end his career where he is now the Sporting Director that has brought the club back to dominant form on the pitch. His accolades include league titles in Portugal and Italy, League cups in both countries and a key component in the 2002 Milan Champions League winning side.
The Poster boy along with Couto and Figo of Portugal’s “Golden Generation” who even though never won a title for country is one of the best performers for. He gave his country one of the greatest moments in 2004 when in a game down by 1 goal in stoppage time scored a 25 yard screamer vs England to tie that game that would eventually be won by Portugal in PKs.
Right Wing: Luis Figo
(Sporting, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan)
127 caps for Portugal
The first true Superstar that Portugal ever produced is Luis Figo. Another product of the Sporting Lisbon academy. Elegant is the best word to use to describe his game, he was quick but wasn’t a speedster, more so would use it to create space that he could use to mix the defender or create a passing lane out of thin air. A player who is synonymous with winning as he is with the one incident that has followed him his entire career. Luis looked to leave Sporting in 1995, when he was to sign with Juve until it came out that he had also signed with Parma. Thus leading to a transfer ban from coming to Italy. That’s when Barcelona (yuck) swooped in. Teaming up with the likes of Rivaldo and Kluivert. He was beloved by Catalans until one faithful day when 60 million which was his release clause saw him head to Arch Rival, Real Madrid. Figo is considered the first brick in the building of Florentino Perez “Galacticos”, he also became the face of a renewed Barca v Madrid rivalry. The defining moment was in 2002 when Figo attempted to take a corner and play was halted for 20 mins as there was cleanup and safety measures to take as he was getting pelted by everything from coins to Johnnie Walker bottles to the famous pig head which was picked up as he was taking the corner. The next few years saw him ascend to one of the very best in the world, as he won the Ballon d’Or in 2000 and went on to claim 2 straight league titles and the 2002 Champions League title with Madrid. Inter Milan was the final stop of Figos career as he moved to the Milan side on a free transfer the summer of 2005. He ended his career with 8 league titles, 6 League cups and 1 Champions League.
His International career wasn’t trophy filled but it wasn’t wanting for goals and personal success. He’s featured in 127 caps which is 2nd all time for Portugal and scored 32 goals for country. Having featured in 5 tournaments and scoring in 3 he’s dazzled and at times carried Portugal at times when no one else was able to do so. Another key piece of the 2004 Euro run to the Finals, which unfortunately didn’t go his way.
Striker: Eusebio
(Benfica, NASL(various Teams), Monterrey)
The man that made Portugal command respect in a time it was looked at as tournament fodder. Eusébio da Silva Ferreira is a man widely regarded as the best striker not named Pele of that generation. Born in Mozambique, he was spotted at the age of 18 by Sporting and Benfica scouts and as both teams prepared to sign him it got ugly. Old rumors tell a tale of Benfica execs having to change his airplane ticket name in fear of Sporting making a last ditch effort to take him from them. Benfica would end up signing the prodigy and he rewarded them with 15 years of glory. A European cup, 11 league titles, 5 league cups and the 1965 Ballon d’Or were all won in big part to ‘the Black Panther” nicknamed for his speed and power, along with being a cunning attacker who would make a defender pay for a poor touch or poor pass every time. In 1975 he traveled abroad to America and played for the Boston Minutemen of the NASL(a Better MLS). Over the next 4 years he’d play for 4 more clubs before calling it quits in 1979. He retired as the all-time leading goal scorer for Benfica and considered one of the 10 best players to ever grace a pitch.
Portuguese football starts with Eusebio, without him there is no Portuguese federation and talent as we currently see. His zenith on the international stage came in the 1966 World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with nine goals as Portugal had their best ever showing at the World Cup. Finishing with 61 caps and 41 goals in 1973, he was the all-time leading scorer until Pauleta (the 2nd place finisher to who I wanted to put in this spot).
Left Wing: Cristiano Ronaldo
(Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid)
135 caps for Portugal
The greatest Portuguese player ever. Period. A Cyborg sent back in time to bang goals, win trophies and wear tight pants. Born on the tiny islands of Madeira he was dirt poor and had nothing to do but play football as his father was the Kit man for the local club Andorinha. At the age of 7 he was signed by them and began his rise to World Dominance. I can wax poetically about Cristiano Ronaldo Dos Santos Aveiro but I’ll keep is short and sweet as we all know what he does and can still do. A Man who’s won the Champions League, League titles and Ballon d’Or for 2 different clubs. Another one of his biggest achievements is he is Real Madrid’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Ronaldo is the All-time leading goal scorer and the most capped Portuguese player ever and by no surprise to anyone. I can highlight the many moments and goals he’s scored because they all add up to make him the best we have ever produced but I want to discuss one moment in particular.
July 10th, 2016 changed every Portuguese person’s life, especially Ronaldo. A bad challenge by FK merchant Payet saw Ronaldo pick up a knee injury in the 25th minute. Turning into Coach Ronnie he spent more time on the touchline than Fernando Santos did. Rallying the troops and the pep talk he gave Eder before coming on to the pitch where he told him “play your game and you’ll score the winner” and mins after being subbed in, he proved Ronaldo right. It was an interesting look at Ronaldo where he couldn’t impact the game on the pitch so he attempted to off it and seems to have succeeded. In closing, Ronaldo has earned the last accolade that he’s truly wanted and he is the best ever from our tiny little country and I don’t see that changing for some time.
