When it comes to the world of football, Portugal certainly has provided a fair few special talents over the years. And while they may still be awaiting a first-ever World Cup win, no international tournament feels complete without the iconic red and green colours of the European nation.

Countless Portuguese stars have dazzled, with the current game littered with those from the Iberian Peninsula. Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, will go down as one of the best players to ever grace the sport. But which of his fellow countrymen also deserve to be regarded in a similar vein?

To solve this dilemma, GIVEMESPORT has written up a list, ranking the 30 greatest players to ever play for Portugal.

Ranking factors

• International achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Club achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Individual awards
• Legacy within football

25

Ricardo Quaresma

Ricardo Quaresma was one of the most gifted and unpredictable players of his generation. Known for his flair, creativity and trademark trivela passes and shots, he could produce moments of magic that few others could match. One of his most memorable goals came at the 2018 World Cup, when he curled a brilliant trivela strike into the net against Iran.

Although his inconsistency sometimes held him back, Quaresma still enjoyed a highly successful career. He played an important part in Portugal’s historic Euro 2016 triumph, scoring the winning goal in extra time against Croatia in the last 16 as the team went on to claim its first major international trophy.

At club level, Quaresma also tasted success abroad, winning the treble with Inter Milan during the 2009/10 season under fellow Portuguese José Mourinho. His career may have had its ups and downs, but his talent was never in doubt.

24

Antonio Simoes

Antonio Simoes spent 14 professional seasons with Benfica, playing 449 official games and scoring 72 goals from the left wing position. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he also represented several teams in the United States, and subsequently worked as a manager in both continents.

Simoes holds the record of youngest player (18 years and 139 days old) to play and win a European Cup final, when he appeared for Benfica against Real Madrid in 1962. How underrated he is is best proven by the fact images of him are hard to come by.

23

Nuno Gomes

With 29 goals in 79 caps, Nuno Gomes remains one of Portugal’s all-time top goalscorers. He played a crucial role in their “golden generation,” finishing third at Euro 2000 and reaching the final of Euro 2004.

Known for his clever movement, which combined perfectly with the fact he didn’t need much encouragement to turn few touches into goals, Gomes is another on this list who spent most of his time with Lisbon giants Benfica. He spent 12 seasons across two separate stints with them, cementing his legacy as an icon. In total, he scored 166 goals in 398 appearances for them alone.

22

Fernando Couto

While Portugal is mostly known for its technically-gifted footballing imports, Fernando Couto completely ripped up what outsiders knew about the Iberian nation throughout the 1990s. He was an uncompromising, physical “stopper” who loved tight marking and gained a reputation for his intense, sometimes combative approach to defending.

Despite being average in height for a modern centre-back, Couto’s exceptional leap and timing made him a massive threat both in clearing crosses and scoring goals at the other end. And, as the Porto defender’s career progressed, he became more of a Libero with clubs such as Parma, allowing him to read the game, cover for his teammates, and dictate play from the back.

21

Jose Augusto

Jose Augusto played most of his career with Benfica, for which he appeared in 369 competitive matches and scored 174 goals, winning 13 major honours, including eight Primeira Liga titles and two European Cups. He was dubbed the “Portuguese Garrincha” by French footballer, coach, and journalist Gabriel Hanot.

He earned 45 caps for Portugal, and was a key part of the squad that took part in the 1966 World Cup. Despite his legendary status, though, his two attacking partners – Jose Aguas and Eusebio – both stole much of the limelight from him.

20

Joao Pinto

A key member of Portugal’s celebrated “golden generation,” which lifted consecutive U-20 World Cup titles in 1989 and 1991, João Pinto was a creative playmaker who could unlock defences at the drop of a hat and had a keen eye for goal, netting 23 times in 81 appearances for the national team.

Pinto helped Portugal reach the semi-finals of Euro 2000, but he was also known for occasionally letting his temper get the better of him. That fiery streak landed him in hot water at the 2002 World Cup, where he received a six-month suspension after pushing a referee following his dismissal. At club level, he enjoyed success on both sides of Lisbon’s football divide, winning Primeira Liga titles with Benfica and later with their fierce rivals, Sporting CP.

19

Nene

Few forwards in Portuguese football have matched Nene’s consistency in front of goal. Spending his entire professional career with Benfica between 1968 and 1986, he rattled in an astonishing 359 goals across 575 appearances, helping the club claim 10 league crowns. His exploits did not go unnoticed, as he was named Portuguese Footballer of the Year in 1971 and finished atop the Primeira Liga scoring charts on two occasions.

On the international stage, Nene earned 66 caps and struck 22 goals for Portugal. He played a pivotal role in the Seleção’s memorable run to the Euro 1984 semi-finals, proving time and again that he had a knack for being in the right place at the right time when the stakes were highest.

18

Jose Aguas

Before the television was a centrepiece in every European household, Jose Aguas was one of the most prolific goalscorers in football, and typified the modern day characterisation of a “fox in the box”. As the legendary captain of Benfica, he won 5 Primeira Liga titles (finishing top goalscorer in all of those) and back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962.

He scored a staggering 290 goals in just 281 official matches for the club, and ran so that Eusebio could walk later down the line. Also notably, he was the top scorer of the 1960/61 European Cup, scoring his team’s opening goal in both the 1961 final against FC Barcelona (3-2) and the 1962 final against Real Madrid (5-3).

17

Ruben Dias

A gem at the back for Manchester City, Ruben Dias has earned his reputation as a defensive titan, and one of the best in his position in the world. Fearless when tackling, an underrated passer of the ball and a leader at the back, he is well-equipped to play Pep Guardiola’s style of football and has cemented his status as a key part of the winning-machine at the Etihad Stadium for the best part of the last decade.

Injuries prevent him from being any higher on this list, but he’s always a commanding presence when fit, both for club and country. For Portugal, he has 76 caps, which has amounted to two Nations League winners’ medals.

16

Jose Torres

Jose Torres, affectionately nicknamed “O Bom Gigante” (The Good Giant), was an exceptionally prolific centre-forward and a legendary figure in Portuguese football. Standing at 6ft3in, he relied on formidable physical presence and clinical finishing to amass 226 goals in 259 appearances for Benfica.

It was with the same club that amassed 9 Portuguese Liga titles and 6 Portuguese Cups during his 12-season stint, while also helping score the goals that got them to three European Cup finals. With the national side, he scored 14 goals in just 34 caps, starring alongside a certain other iconic striker.

A professional lip reader has revealed what Donald Trump allegedly said to UFC fighter Josh Hokit after the athlete made controversial remarks about former First Lady Michelle Obama. The US president, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday, was captured speaking with him during the historic UFC Freedom 250 event – the first UFC fight ever hosted at the White House.

The unprecedented event was part of the Trump administration’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary. As anticipated, hosting a UFC bout in the nation’s most iconic residence produced several headline-hitting moments. Of those incidents, perhaps the most eyebrow-raising was when Hokit shocked viewers with his post-fight comments after defeating Derrick Lewis on the South Lawn.

Speaking to podcaster Joe Rogan, he said: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” Rogan chose not to engage with the statement, simply responding: “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit.” Watch his bizarre interview below:

Lip Reader Reveals What Trump Said To Josh Hokit Amid Obama Slur

After his win over Derrick Lewis, Hokit was spotted chatting with Trump, who stood ringside. Lip reader Jeremy Freeman has now shared his interpretation of Trump’s words to the fighter. According to the Mirror, after Hokit placed a chain around Trump’s neck, the president responded:

The event, though divisive, resonated strongly with MAGA supporters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio even drew parallels between hosting the fights and the historic 1969 moon landings. He stated: “When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it.”

“We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to do. And at some level, that’s what this whole company, what UFC has been.”

How UFC 250 Unfolded As Ilia Topuria Loses Undefeated Streak

Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The main event saw Ilia Topuria lose his undefeated record and his lightweight championship against 37-year-old Justin Gaethje, as the American forced the Georgian to quit on his stool and not answer the bell for the fifth and final round.

At heavyweight, Alex Pereira lost his debut in the division to former champion Ciryl Gane, who took home the interim championship in the process. The co-main event was the third successive second-round stoppage on the night, following on from Sean O’Malley’s victory over Aiemann Zahabi and Josh Hokit’s continuation of his undefeated record with him defeating Derrick Lewis.

The opening bouts of the night also saw premature endings. To start off the show, Diego Lopes stopped Steve Garcia in just under eight minutes. What came next was Bo Nickal and Mauricio Ruffy needing less than five to dispatch Kyle Daukaus and Michael Chandler, respectively.

The biggest ever World Cup tournament is well under way and one of the biggest winners in the opening round of matches has been Sweden.

Graham Potter’s men were on fire as they ripped Tunisia apart in their Group E encounter in Philadelphia, with Premier League stars Yasin Ayari (2), Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak bagging four of the five goals in a 5-1 demolition job.

Had it not been for Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of minnows Curacao hours beforehand, the Swedes would have been celebrating the biggest victory of the early stages of the competition.

Former Chelsea and West Ham boss Potter only took over as head coach of the national team in October, with the sole task of getting them into the World Cup, following a dismal spell in charge by Dane Jon Dahl Tomasson.

If it was so dismal, I hear you scream, how did they make it to the World Cup Finals? Well that is a very good question to those who do not follow the qualification process game-by-game.

When it came to the qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup, the UEFA pathway was split into 12 groups with the group winners all advancing to the World Cup Finals. The 12 runners-up were then paired together in a play-off round, with the six winners also making it through to the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Sweden were in Group B of qualifying and actually finished bottom of the four-nation table, failing to win a single match, picking up just two points in their six matches from draws home and away with Slovenia. They lost home and away to Switzerland and Kosovo, leading to Tomasson getting the sack.

So how did they make it to the World Cup?

Well, the UEFA qualification process does not just come down to those groups. It brings in the best performers from the UEFA Nations League competition too.

Nations League plays a part in World Cup qualification

Twenty spots are available to UEFA nations, with the 12 group runners-up in qualifying joined by the four best performing countries in the 2024/25 Nations League campaign that have not already qualified for the tournament or the play-offs.

As a result, Sweden’s impressive performance in the Nations League – they finished top of Group C1 and were promoted to the B League, got them into the play-off round. They were joined by fellow Nations League group winners Romania, North Macedonia and Northern Ireland.

But unlike those other three nations, Sweden, under Potter, beat Ukraine in the play-off semi-final and then Poland, who had finished second behind the Netherlands in Group G of World Cup qualifying, 3-2 in the final to secure their place in the States, Canada and Mexico.

And they’re certainly taking their opportunity with both hands. Sweden play Japan and the Netherlands in their next two group games, knowing that they only have to be one of the eight best third-placed teams in the tournament to qualify for the knockout stages.