Sport in Portugal
Encyclopedia
Football
is the most popular and practised sport in Portugal
. Other than football, many other professional or semi-professional well organized sport competitions take place every season in Portugal, including basketball
, swimming
, athletics, tennis
, gymnastics
, futsal
, rink hockey, team handball
, volleyball
, surf
and rugby union
championships among the hundreds of sports played in this country.
The major Portuguese professional sports leagues, championships and events include:
Other popular sport-related recreational outdoor activities with thousands of enthusiats nationwide include airsoft
, golf
, hiking
and orienteering
.
Portugal has been traditionally strong in the sport of athletics in long distance running, and is the birthplace a number of successful athletes including Rosa Mota
, Carlos Lopes
, Fernanda Ribeiro
and Manuela Machado
. Rui Silva
and sprint
er Francis Obikwelu
have won several gold, silver and bronze medals in European, World and Olympic Games competitions. Naide Gomes
is a multiple World and European champion in the women's pentathlon
and long jump
events and Nelson Évora
is world and olympic champion in the triple jump
. In the triathlon
, Vanessa Fernandes
has won a large number of medals and major competitions across the world, including the silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The country has a strong reputation in cross country running
: it hosts two of the world's foremost annual meetings (the Almond Blossom Cross Country
and Oeiras International Cross Country
), it has hosted the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
twice, and Carlos Lopes
and Albertina Dias
are both former world champions of the sport.
, with Volta a Portugal
being the most important race, is also a popular sports event and include professional cycling teams such as Sporting Clube de Portugal, S.L. Benfica
, Boavista
, Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira
, and União Ciclista da Maia
. Noted Portuguese cyclists include, among others, names as Joaquim Agostinho
, Marco Chagas
, José Azevedo
, Sérgio Paulinho
, Rui Costa
and Tiago Machado
.
Football
is the most popular and practiced sport in Portugal
, and the country has produced an amazing amount of talented footballers who became known worldwide. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo
, Luís Figo
, Nani
, Rui Costa
, Deco
, Simão
, Ricardo Quaresma
, Fernando Couto
, Paulo Sousa
, Vítor Baía
, Paulo Futre
, Rui Barros
, Pauleta
, and the top scorer of 1966 World Cup
striker Eusébio
with nine goals, are among the most noted Portuguese football players. Portuguese football managers are also noteworthy, with José Mourinho
, André Villas-Boas, Carlos Queiroz
, José Peseiro
, Manuel José
, Fernando Santos
and Artur Jorge
, among the most renowned.
The Portugal national football team
is among the higher-rated national football teams in europe and the world despite never actually winning any major competionos , and the Portuguese Liga
professional football club championship is one of the most widely known sport events in the country, where such football clubs as Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal, and Futebol Clube do Porto are main contenders.
Portuguese football teams have performed well in the UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Cup
competitions, reaching regularly the last stages of those competitions and winning a number of trophies. Portugal has a large number of top football stadia. There are 3 UEFA 5 star stadia in Portugal along with many other featuring state of the art facilities which are distributed across the country.
The Portuguese
futsal
league is divided into divisions. The top teams play in the 1a Divisão. In each division, a team plays all other teams twice, once at home and once away and 1a Divisão the final phase is played under the playoff system.
The Portuguese league teams compete in Europe
under UEFA
, most notably in the UEFA Futsal Cup
. The teams also compete in a domestic cup competition each year, called the Portuguese Cup
. The winners of the 1a Divisão play the winners of the Portuguese Cup in the Portuguese SuperCup
.
like judo
have also brought many medals to this country, namely Telma Monteiro
who conquered gold twice at the European Championships in the -52 kg category, and Nuno Delgado
who conquered the bronze medal in the 2000 Olympic Games
in Sydney and became the European champion in 1999 (in Bratislava) and vice-champion in the year of 2003.
The country has an ancient martial art known as "Jogo do Pau
" (Portuguese Stick Fencing), used for self-protection and for duels between young men in disputes over young women. Having its origin in the Middle Ages
, Jogo do Pau uses wooden staves as a combat weapon.
In fencing
, Joaquim Videira
won the silver medal at the épée 2006 World Fencing Championships
and has conquered numerous medals in the world cup.
in the Estoril
, near Lisbon, is the main Portuguese race track where many motorsport competitions are held, including the World Motorcycling Championship, A1 Grand Prix
and formerly F1
.
Portugal has great traditions in rallying
with one of the most famous rally races in the world (Rally of Portugal). Also famous is the Rally Madeira. Off-road (with the Baja Portugal 1000 and recently Lisboa-Dakar
) events also have international recognition.
Being the 13th nation to join the Olympic Movement, in 1909, it first competed at the Summer Olympic Games
in 1912
, in Stockholm
. It has participated uninterruptedly since, building up a total of 21 presences (18th most assiduous, as of 2004
) of which it has collected 22 medals, divided into 4 golds, 7 silvers and 11 bronzes.
The Winter Olympic Games
saw Portugal's first participation in 1952
, in Oslo
. However, being a poorly mountainous country and possessing a mediterranean climate
, together with the absence of a winter sporting tradition, explains Portugal's weaker Winter Olympic history, with only 5 (interspersed) presences and no medals.
and 20 European titles
, making it the country with the most wins in both competitions. The most successful Portuguese rink hockey clubs in the history of European championships are F.C. Porto
, Sporting Clube de Portugal, S.L. Benfica
, and Óquei de Barcelos.
made a dramatic qualification into the 2007 Rugby World Cup
and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup in the sport's professional era. The Portuguese national rugby sevens team
has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions.
, windsurfing
, kitesurfing
, kayaking
and sailing
.
Manuel Centeno
is also a major name in Portuguese sports as he conquered the national, European and the world titles, in 2006 in bodyboarding
after being the European champion back in 2001.
In surfing
, Justin Mujica, European surfing champion in 2004, is now back in the competitions after recovering from a knee injury. Tiago Pires
reached the number one position at ASP WQS
rating and is now part of the main surfing competition on the ASP WCT. Ruben Gonzalez is an international acclaimed surfer and the only one to achieve the national title in two consecutive tournaments.
In 2010 Portugal became one of the ASP World Championship Tour official stops.
" and the "petanca" (pétanque
).
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
is the most popular and practised sport in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Other than football, many other professional or semi-professional well organized sport competitions take place every season in Portugal, including basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, athletics, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
, rink hockey, team handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, surf
Surf
Surf is the wave activity in the area between the shoreline and outer limit of breakers. It may refer to a breaking wave in shallow water, upon the shore, or in the area in which waves breakSurf also may refer to:Commercial products...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
championships among the hundreds of sports played in this country.
The major Portuguese professional sports leagues, championships and events include:
- Portuguese Football Championship and Cup of Portugal in footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
- Portuguese Futsal First DivisionPortuguese Futsal First DivisionPortuguese Futsal First Division or "1ª Divisão de Futsal" is the premier professional futsal league in Portugal.-Teams 2008/2009:* CF Belenenses* FJ Antunes* SL Benfica* AR Freixieiro* AD Fundão* Instituto D...
in futsalFutsalFutsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"... - Portuguese Basketball League in basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Portuguese Rink Hockey ChampionshipPortuguese Rink Hockey Championship-Teams for 2009/2010 Season:* Óquei Clube de Barcelos* SL Benfica* HC Braga* Candelária SC* AE Física* ACR Gulpilhares* UD Oliveirense* Académico de Espinho* CD Paço d'Arcos* FC Porto* CD Portosantense* AD Oeiras* AD Valongo...
in rink hockey - Portuguese Handball League in handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
- Campeonato Nacional Honra/Super BockCampeonato Nacional Honra/Super BockThe Portuguese top division of rugby union is a competition organised by the Portuguese Rugby Federation. The current champions are Direito, from Lisbon. The league consists of 8 teams.-Teams 2008/09:-External links:*...
in rugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... - Portuguese Volleyball League A1Portuguese Volleyball League A1The Portuguese Volleyball League A1 is the top men's volleyball league in Portugal. The competition, which is organised by the Portuguese Volleyball Federation, was called Honor Division in 1983-84 and 1986-88...
in volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive... - Portuguese Beach Soccer LeaguePortuguese Beach Soccer LeagueThe Portuguese Beach Soccer League is a summer team sport event in Portugal. This is the result of an effort by the Portuguese District Football Associations of Algarve, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Lisboa, Porto and Setúbal, in cooperation with several local and national entities.The competition occurs...
in beach soccerBeach soccerBeach soccer, also known as beach football or beasal, is a variant of association football played on a beach or some form of sand. The game emphasises skill, agility and shooting at goal.... - Volta a PortugalVolta a PortugalThe Volta a Portugal em bicicleta is a long distance road bicycle race for professionals held in Portugal. The competition takes place annually during a two-week span.- History :...
in cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists... - Rally of Portugal in motor racing
Other popular sport-related recreational outdoor activities with thousands of enthusiats nationwide include airsoft
Airsoft
Airsoft is a sport in which participants shoot round non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms.Gameplay varies in style and composition but often range from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, military simulations, historical reenactments, to competition target shooting events...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
.
Athletics
Rosa Mota
Rosa Maria Correia dos Santos Mota, GCIH, GCM is a Portuguese former marathon runner, one of her country's foremost athletes. She is also considered to have been one of the best marathon runners of the 20th century....
, Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
, Fernanda Ribeiro
Fernanda Ribeiro
Maria Fernanda Moreira Ribeiro, GCIH , is a long-distance runner, born in Penafiel, Portugal. She achieved the top of her career in the 1996 Summer Olympics where she won the women's 10,000 m gold medal, giving Portugal their 3rd Olympic gold , and establishing a new Olympic record - 31:01.63.-...
and Manuela Machado
Manuela Machado
Maria Manuela Machado is a former Portuguese long-distance runner, who was particularly successful when running the marathon. Unlike many other marathoners, she did not focus on running city marathons that would have earned her lots of money...
. Rui Silva
Rui Silva
Rui Silva is a Portuguese athlete, who represents Sporting Clube de Portugal. As a distance runner, he specializes at the 1500 and 3000 m events, although he has at times run the 800 metres as well. He is the national champion at 1500 m...
and sprint
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
er Francis Obikwelu
Francis Obikwelu
Francis Obiorah Obikwelu, born 22 November 1978 in Nigeria and a Portuguese citizen since 2001, is a sprint athlete specializing in 100 metres and 200 metres. He holds the record for the fastest time in the 100 m set by a European competitor with a time of 9.86 seconds...
have won several gold, silver and bronze medals in European, World and Olympic Games competitions. Naide Gomes
Naide Gomes
Enezaide do Rosário da Vera Cruz Gomes, OIH, is a Portuguese heptathlete, born in São Tomé and Príncipe. She is also a top-class competitor in the long jump, and she competed in 100 metres hurdles at the 2000 Summer Olympics...
is a multiple World and European champion in the women's pentathlon
Women's pentathlon
The pentathlon is a sports contest made up of five events . The women's pentathlon was contested in the Olympics from 1964 until 1980, and it was replaced in the 1984 Games with the heptathlon. It had a different set of events than the ancient Olympic pentathlon...
and long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
events and Nelson Évora
Nelson Évora
Nelson Évora is a Portuguese athlete, of Cape Verdean descent, who specializes in the triple jump and long jump. He is the current triple jump olympic and former world champion. Évora currently competes for Portuguese sports club S.L. Benfica...
is world and olympic champion in the triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
. In the triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
, Vanessa Fernandes
Vanessa Fernandes
Vanessa de Sousa Fernandes is a Portuguese athlete from Perosinho, Vila Nova de Gaia and a former triathlon European and World champion...
has won a large number of medals and major competitions across the world, including the silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The country has a strong reputation in cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
: it hosts two of the world's foremost annual meetings (the Almond Blossom Cross Country
Almond Blossom Cross Country
The Almond Blossom Cross Country is an annual international cross country running competition which takes place in Albufeira, Portugal in early March. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. It is held in co-operation...
and Oeiras International Cross Country
Oeiras International Cross Country
The Oeiras International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Oeiras, Portugal...
), it has hosted the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
twice, and Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
and Albertina Dias
Albertina Dias
Maria Albertina da Costa Dias Pereira is a former Portuguese long-distance runner. She competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for her native country, starting in 1988...
are both former world champions of the sport.
Cycling
CyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, with Volta a Portugal
Volta a Portugal
The Volta a Portugal em bicicleta is a long distance road bicycle race for professionals held in Portugal. The competition takes place annually during a two-week span.- History :...
being the most important race, is also a popular sports event and include professional cycling teams such as Sporting Clube de Portugal, S.L. Benfica
SL Benfica (cycling team)
Sport Lisboa e Benfica was a cycling team of the multisports club Sport Lisboa e Benfica, from Lisbon, Portugal.-History:Cycling was the second sports department established within Sport Lisboa e Benfica, and along with football, is one of only two sports referenced in the club logo...
, Boavista
Boavista (cycling team)
The professional cycling team Onda-Boavista is a Portuguese team based in Porto. It is one of the Europeans teams in UCI Continental Tour.-2011 team: Bruno Borges Delio Fernández Bruno Lima Alejandro Marque Alberto Morras Hélder Oliveira Jon Pardo...
, Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira
Clube de Ciclismo de Tavira
The professional cycling team Palmeiras Resort/Tavira is a Portuguese Team based in Tavira. It is one of the European teams in UCI Continental Tour.- Major Results:2005...
, and União Ciclista da Maia
União Ciclista da Maia
The professional cycling team LA-MSS Maia is a Portuguese Team based in Maia, Portugal. It is one of the European teams in UCI Continental Tour.-Doping investigation:...
. Noted Portuguese cyclists include, among others, names as Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Fernandes Agostinho, OIH was a Portuguese professional bicycle racer. He was champion of Portugal in six successive years. He rode the Tour de France 13 times and finished all but once, winning on Alpe d'Huez in 1979, and finishing 3rd twice...
, Marco Chagas
Marco Chagas
Marco Antonio Chagas Martins is a former professional racing cyclist from Portugal. He is one of the best Portuguese cyclists, having won 4 times the Volta a Portugal, in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. Becoming the most successful rider in the competition. He is now the cycling commentator on...
, José Azevedo
José Azevedo
José Bento Azevedo Carvalho is a Portuguese former professional road racing cyclist. As of 2010, he is also a team manager with Team RadioShack...
, Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Miguel Moreira Paulinho is a Portuguese road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He was a domestique in the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Tour de France....
, Rui Costa
Rui Costa
Rui Manuel César Costa, OIH is a former Portuguese football player and current Director of Football for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. An attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a deep-seated defensive midfielder, he most recently played for Portuguese club Benfica...
and Tiago Machado
Tiago Machado
Tiago Machado is a Portuguese professional cyclist. He rides for the UCI ProTour team .-Notable Results:2008...
.
Football
- See main: Football in PortugalFootball in Portugal- History :Football started to gain popularity in Portugal in the late 19th century, brought by Portuguese students who returned from England.right|250px|thumb...
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
is the most popular and practiced sport in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and the country has produced an amazing amount of talented footballers who became known worldwide. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
, Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Nani
Nani (footballer)
Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha , commonly known as Nani, is a Portuguese footballer currently playing as a winger for English club Manchester United in the Premier League and the Portugal national team...
, Rui Costa
Rui Costa
Rui Manuel César Costa, OIH is a former Portuguese football player and current Director of Football for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. An attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a deep-seated defensive midfielder, he most recently played for Portuguese club Benfica...
, Deco
Deco
Anderson Luís de Souza, OIH , commonly known as Deco, is a Brazilian-born Portuguese professional footballer who currently plays for Fluminense....
, Simão
Simão Sabrosa
Simão Pedro Fonseca Sabrosa, OIH , commonly known as Simão , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, mainly as a left winger - he can also play as a forward - with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes.Having played in his country for two of the three...
, Ricardo Quaresma
Ricardo Quaresma
Ricardo Andrade Quaresma Bernardo is a Portuguese footballer of partial Romani descent who currently plays as a winger for Turkish Süper Lig side Beşiktaş J.K and the Portuguese national team. Quaresma began his career at Sporting Clube de Portugal, and has also played for FC Barcelona, FC Porto,...
, Fernando Couto
Fernando Couto
Fernando Manuel Silva Couto, OIH is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a central defender.During a 21-year professional career, he played in a number of top teams in Portugal, Spain and Italy , appearing in nearly 600 official games and winning the national league title of each country,...
, Paulo Sousa
Paulo Sousa
Paulo Manuel Carvalho de Sousa, CavIH is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and a current manager.He was a member of the “Portuguese Golden Generation”...
, Vítor Baía
Vítor Baía
Vítor Manuel Martins Baía, OIH , is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a goalkeeper.His career was intimately connected with F.C...
, Paulo Futre
Paulo Futre
Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre is a retired Portuguese professional footballer who played mostly as a left winger.After exploding at Sporting Clube de Portugal well before his 20th birthday, he soon moved to Futebol Clube do Porto, after which he embarked in an extensive career - until 1998 - having...
, Rui Barros
Rui Barros
Rui Gil Soares de Barros is a retired Portuguese footballer.A diminutive attacking midfielder, Barros played with success in his country Rui Gil Soares de Barros (born 24 November 1965) is a retired Portuguese footballer.A diminutive attacking midfielder, Barros played with success in his country...
, Pauleta
Pauleta
Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes, OIH , commonly known as Pauleta , is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a striker....
, and the top scorer of 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
striker Eusébio
Eusébio
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM , commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans...
with nine goals, are among the most noted Portuguese football players. Portuguese football managers are also noteworthy, with José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
, André Villas-Boas, Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
, José Peseiro
José Peseiro
José Vítor dos Santos Peseiro is a football manager, who most notably served as an assistant for Carlos Queiroz during his Real Madrid tenure and as a manager for Sporting until his resignation in October 2005....
, Manuel José
Manuel José
Manuel José de Jesus Silva, ComM, known simply as Manuel José , is a Portuguese football manager, who currently manages Al-Ahly. Some of the teams he has coached include Vitória de Guimarães, Sporting CP, Sporting de Braga, Boavista, Benfica, Al-Ahly, Belenenses, Angola, amongst others, being the...
, Fernando Santos
Fernando Santos
Fernando Manuel Fernandes da Costa Santos is a Portuguese football manager and former player. He is the current manager of the Greek national team, last managing PAOK of the Super League Greece....
and Artur Jorge
Artur Jorge
Artur Jorge Braga Melo Teixeira , commonly known as simply Artur Jorge, is a Portuguese football coach and a former football player. He was chosen by Portuguese sports newspaper Record as one of the best 100 Portuguese football players of all time.-Club career:As a junior player, he started at the...
, among the most renowned.
The Portugal national football team
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
is among the higher-rated national football teams in europe and the world despite never actually winning any major competionos , and the Portuguese Liga
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
professional football club championship is one of the most widely known sport events in the country, where such football clubs as Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Sporting Clube de Portugal, and Futebol Clube do Porto are main contenders.
Portuguese football teams have performed well in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
competitions, reaching regularly the last stages of those competitions and winning a number of trophies. Portugal has a large number of top football stadia. There are 3 UEFA 5 star stadia in Portugal along with many other featuring state of the art facilities which are distributed across the country.
Futsal
- See main: Futsal in PortugalFutsal in PortugalThe Portuguese futsal league is divided into divisions. The top teams play in the 1a Divisão. In each division, a team plays all other teams twice, once at home and once away and 1a Divisão the final phase is played under the playoff system....
The Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
league is divided into divisions. The top teams play in the 1a Divisão. In each division, a team plays all other teams twice, once at home and once away and 1a Divisão the final phase is played under the playoff system.
The Portuguese league teams compete in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
under UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, most notably in the UEFA Futsal Cup
UEFA Futsal Cup
The UEFA Futsal Cup is an annual futsal competition for European club teams. It was founded in 2001–02, replacing the Futsal European Clubs Championship, a former competition never recognized as official, despite their 15 editions. The final of the 1st edition was disputed as a single game in...
. The teams also compete in a domestic cup competition each year, called the Portuguese Cup
Taça de Portugal de Futsal
Taça de Portugal de Futsal or Portuguese Futsal Cup is the a futsal cup in Portugal-Portuguese Cup Winners:- Performance by club :-External links:*...
. The winners of the 1a Divisão play the winners of the Portuguese Cup in the Portuguese SuperCup
SuperTaça de Futsal de Portugal
SuperTaça de Portugal de Futsal or Portuguese Futsal SuperCup is a futsal cup in Portugal, played by the winner of Portuguese Futsal First Division and the winner of Portuguese Futsal Cup.-Portuguese SuperCup Winners:-Performance by club:...
.
Martial arts
Martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
like judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
have also brought many medals to this country, namely Telma Monteiro
Telma Monteiro
Telma Monteiro is a Portuguese judoka from the city of Almada. She is currently in the number two spot on the world ranking list. She is also a multi-time medal winner in both World and European Championships and Cups. She won silver medals in the last European and World Championships.Since July...
who conquered gold twice at the European Championships in the -52 kg category, and Nuno Delgado
Nuno Delgado
Nuno Miguel Delgado is a former Portuguese judoka who became known for winning Portugal's first Olympic medal in judo – a bronze in the under-81 kg category at the 2000 Summer Olympics, in Sydney, Australia. He was also senior European champion .-External links:* * on TheJudoPodcast.eu...
who conquered the bronze medal in the 2000 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Sydney and became the European champion in 1999 (in Bratislava) and vice-champion in the year of 2003.
The country has an ancient martial art known as "Jogo do Pau
Jogo do Pau
Jogo do Pau is a Portuguese martial art which developed in the northern regions of Portugal , focusing on the use of a staff of fixed measures and characteristics. The origins of this martial art are uncertain, but its purpose was primarily self-defence...
" (Portuguese Stick Fencing), used for self-protection and for duels between young men in disputes over young women. Having its origin in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Jogo do Pau uses wooden staves as a combat weapon.
In fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, Joaquim Videira
Joaquim Videira
Joaquim Filipe Ferreira dos Santos Videira is a Portuguese fencer. He was the épée world vice champion in 2006.-Biography:Joaquim Videira started fencing under the direction of his coach, the Hélder Alves....
won the silver medal at the épée 2006 World Fencing Championships
2006 World Fencing Championships
The 2006 World Fencing Championships were held at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy. The event took place from September 29 to October 7, 2006.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:*...
and has conquered numerous medals in the world cup.
Motor sports
The Autódromo Fernanda Pires da SilvaAutódromo do Estoril
The Autódromo do Estoril is a race course in Portugal, owned by state-run holding management company Parpública. Its length is . It was the home of the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996....
in the Estoril
Estoril
Estoril is a seaside resort and civil parish of the Portuguese municipality of Cascais, Lisboa District. The Estoril coast is close to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It starts in Carcavelos, 15 kilometres from Lisbon, and stretches as far as Guincho, often known as Costa de Estoril-Sintra or...
, near Lisbon, is the main Portuguese race track where many motorsport competitions are held, including the World Motorcycling Championship, A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix was a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it was often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...
and formerly F1
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
.
Portugal has great traditions in rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
with one of the most famous rally races in the world (Rally of Portugal). Also famous is the Rally Madeira. Off-road (with the Baja Portugal 1000 and recently Lisboa-Dakar
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid type of off-road automobile race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation...
) events also have international recognition.
Olympics
- See main: Portugal at the OlympicsPortugal at the OlympicsThe participation of Portugal at the Olympics began on Scandinavian soil, for both the Summer and Winter editions of the Olympic Games. With the creation of the Olympic Committee of Portugal in 1909, and recognition by the International Olympic Committee in the same year, Portugal was the...
Being the 13th nation to join the Olympic Movement, in 1909, it first competed at the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in 1912
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
, in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. It has participated uninterruptedly since, building up a total of 21 presences (18th most assiduous, as of 2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
) of which it has collected 22 medals, divided into 4 golds, 7 silvers and 11 bronzes.
The Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
saw Portugal's first participation in 1952
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
, in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. However, being a poorly mountainous country and possessing a mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, together with the absence of a winter sporting tradition, explains Portugal's weaker Winter Olympic history, with only 5 (interspersed) presences and no medals.
Rink hockey
Portugal has a successful rink hockey team, with 15 world titlesRink Hockey World Championship
The FIRS Roller Hockey World Cup is a roller hockey competition also referred as the World Championship – A between the best male national teams in the World. It happens every two years and it is organized by FIRS....
and 20 European titles
Rink Hockey European Championship
The CERH European Roller Hockey Championship is a roller hockey competition with the national teams of European countries that happens every two years...
, making it the country with the most wins in both competitions. The most successful Portuguese rink hockey clubs in the history of European championships are F.C. Porto
FC Porto (rink hockey)
Futebol Clube do Porto is a professional multi-sports club, with a rink hockey section, from Porto, Portugal. The rink hockey team finished in 1st in 2010/11 season of the Portuguese Rink Hockey Championship, achieving a record 10 championships in 10 years....
, Sporting Clube de Portugal, S.L. Benfica
SL Benfica (rink hockey)
Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a professional multi-sports club, with a rink hockey section, from Lisbon, Portugal. The rink hockey team finished in 2nd in 2010/11 of the Portuguese Rink Hockey Championship.-Achievements:*Portuguese Rink Hockey Championship: 20...
, and Óquei de Barcelos.
Rugby union
The national rugby union teamPortugal national rugby union team
The Portugal national rugby union team is a third tier rugby union side representing Portugal. They first played in 1935 and now compete in the European Nations Cup. Rugby union in Portugal is administered by the Federação Portuguesa de Rugby. Portugal qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in...
made a dramatic qualification into the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and become the first all amateur team to qualify for the World Cup in the sport's professional era. The Portuguese national rugby sevens team
Portugal national rugby union team (sevens)
The Portugal national rugby union team represent Portugal in international rugby sevens. The team has played for the first time in 1992, at the Catania Sevens, World Cup 1993 European Qualifier....
has performed well, becoming one of the strongest teams in Europe, and proved their status as European champions in several occasions.
Water sports
The country has also achieved notable performances in sports like surfingSurfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
, kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
.
Manuel Centeno
Manuel Centeno
Manuel Centeno is a former bodyboarding European and World Champion, having won the ISA World Surfing Games 2006 on the 22nd October, at Huntington Beach, California, United States.-Profile:...
is also a major name in Portuguese sports as he conquered the national, European and the world titles, in 2006 in bodyboarding
Bodyboarding
Bodyboarding is a surface water sport . The average board consists of a small, rectangular piece of hydrodynamic foam, sometimes containing a ridged spine called a 'stringer'...
after being the European champion back in 2001.
In surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, Justin Mujica, European surfing champion in 2004, is now back in the competitions after recovering from a knee injury. Tiago Pires
Tiago Pires
Tiago Filipe dos Santos Pires is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Atlético Reguengos.-Biography:Tiago Pires was signed by Genoa in mid-2006, along with Diogo Tavares. In 2007–08 season, he was loaned to Lugano along with Alessandro Di Maio, Diogo Tavares and Rivaldo González...
reached the number one position at ASP WQS
Association of Surfing Professionals
The Association of Surfing Professionals is the governing body for professional surfers and is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best talent in a variety of progressive formats.- Predecessors to the ASP :...
rating and is now part of the main surfing competition on the ASP WCT. Ruben Gonzalez is an international acclaimed surfer and the only one to achieve the national title in two consecutive tournaments.
In 2010 Portugal became one of the ASP World Championship Tour official stops.
Other
- AirsoftAirsoftAirsoft is a sport in which participants shoot round non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms.Gameplay varies in style and composition but often range from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, military simulations, historical reenactments, to competition target shooting events...
is played across the entire country. - American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
is played by top Portuguese teams in the LNFA 2LNFA 2-External links:***...
. - EquestrianismEquestrianismEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
and olympic shootingOlympic shootingThe term Olympic shooting can refer to any of the following:* The actual shooting competitions at the Summer Olympics* The shooting events included in the Olympic program, or by extension all ISSF shooting events, even the non-Olympic ones The term Olympic shooting can refer to any of the...
are also popular and have a reputation in Portugal, with many current and former law enforcement or military members adopting this sport. - GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
is also worth mentioning, since its greatest players play in the sunny region of the Algarve during the "Algarve Open". - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
is popular and the facilities for the practice of this sport are widespread.
Traditional sports and games
Other sports and games are the "jogos populares" or "jogos tradicionais", a wide variety of traditional sports and games played for fun. These include the "jogo da malha", "jogo do pauJogo do Pau
Jogo do Pau is a Portuguese martial art which developed in the northern regions of Portugal , focusing on the use of a staff of fixed measures and characteristics. The origins of this martial art are uncertain, but its purpose was primarily self-defence...
" and the "petanca" (pétanque
Pétanque
Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
).