Ranking the top 20 Portuguese football players | All Time

Some of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen in football history have come from Portugal. Portuguese football players are known for their technical skills, creativity, impressive vision, and passion & hunger for success and greatness. They might still be waiting for the World Cup trophy but Portugal has provided a fair share of talents over the years. Portugal has rarely failed to even qualify for any major tournaments in the world.

From Eusebio to Cristiano Ronaldo, the list of top Portuguese footballers is filled with talented individuals gifted with impressive defending, goal-scoring abilities, and playmaking skills. Portuguese football history is filled with many talented footballers who played for elite clubs around the globe. In this list, we will be looking at the top 20 Portuguese football players of all time:

List of Top 20 Portuguese Football Players of All Time

20. Joao Pinto

Joao Manuel Vieira Pinto played as a forward his entire professional career. He made his senior club debut with Boavista in 1988 and his international debut in 1991. With more than 500 club appearances to his name and scoring more than 120 goals, he is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. For his nation, he has made more than 80 appearances and netted 23 goals. Pinto has represented his nation in Euro 1996, Euro 2000, and the FIFA World Cup 2002.

19. Nene

Tamagnini Manuel Gomes Batista also known as Nene was one of the most prolific strikers of his era. Spent his entire club career with Benfica where he spent almost 20 years and made more than 420 appearances for them and netted more than 260 goals for Benfica. For his country, Batista earned more than 65 caps and scored 22 goals. He represented his nation in the UEFA Euro 1984. The striker won ‘Portuguese Footballer of the Year’ in 1971. With Benefica, he has won 19 league titles and is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

18. Jose Aguas

Jose Arguas’ international career spanned from 1952 to 1962 where he made 25 appearances and netted 11 goals for his nation. His full name is Jose Pinto de Carvalho Santos Aguas. Arguas made his senior club debut with Benfica in 1950, made more than 280 appearances, and netted an impressive 292 goals with a goal-per-match ratio of 1. He won 12 league titles and two European Cups in 1961 and 1962. After he retired from professional football, he started his managerial career and went on to manage Maritimo, Atletico, and Leixoes. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

17. Ruben Dias

Ruben Diass full name, Ruben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias plays as a center-back for the Premier League champions Manchester City. Ruben is known for his aggressive tackling and defensive leadership abilities. He is regarded as one of the best defenders in the world right now. He started his senior club career with Benfica and spent 3 years making more than 91 appearances and scoring 9 goals for Benfica club. In 2020, Manchester City signed him on a six-year deal worth more than $68 million. Since then he has been a pivotal figure in Pep Guardiola’s plans and has won 4 consecutive Premier League titles, one FA Cup title, One UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.

Ruben Dias has also won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal in 2023. He has earned 64 caps for Portugal and netted 3 goals. He has been a key figures in Portugals’s side for the stability and leadership he provides in the defensive half. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

16. Jose Torres

Jose Augusto Costa Senica Torres played as a forward his entire professional career. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. He represented his nation in two FIFA World Cups one as a player and one as a manager. He started his senior club career with Benfica where he spent more than 12 years making 172 appearances and netting 151 goals. He earned 33 caps for Portugal scoring 14 goals in his international career. After his retirement, he started his managerial career where he managed Vitoria Setubal, Estoril, Estrela Amadora, Varzim, Portugal, Boavista, Portimonense, and Desportivo Beja.

15. Fernando Gomes

Fernando Mendes Soares Gomes played as a striker his entire professional career. He is among one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. His professional career spanned 18 years. He started his senior club career with Porto in 1974 and made over 150 appearances netting 125 goals. He has made more than 430 club appearances and netted more than 330 goals in his entire club career. For Portugal, he earned 48 caps and scored 13 goals. He represented his nation in UEFA Euro 1984 and the 1986 World Cup. He has won 11 Premeira Divisao titles, one European Cup, one European Super Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup. He also won two European Golden Shoes in 1983 and 1985. He won the Portuguese Footballer of the Year in 1983.

14. Fernando Peyroteo

Fernando Baptista de Seixas Peyroteo de Vasconcelos also known as Fernando Peyroteo played his entire football career as a striker. He spent his entire club career with Sporting CP and managed to appear in more than 197 games and netting an impressive tally of 332 goals. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. He earned 20 caps for Portugal and netted 14 goals. Fernando Peyroyeo made his international debut for Portugal against Germany in an exhibition game in 1938. He has won 11 club trophies with Sporting CP.

13. Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United attacking midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes has been making wonders on the football field for years now. Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes made his senior club debut with Novara in 2012. He has played for clubs like Novara, Udinese, Sampdoria, Sporting CP, and now Manchester United. Bruno is the current captain of the Manchester United team. He made his international debut for Portugal in 2017 against Saudi Arabia. He has earned 75 caps for Portugal and netted 24 goals. He plays a key role in linking and creating attacking plays for both his Portugal and Manchester United teams. He has made more than 165 appearances for his current club Manchester United while netting 54 goals. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

12. Pauleta

Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes also known as Pauleta played his entire career as a striker. He started his footballing journey with Santa Clara in 1990. Since then he has played for Santa Clara, Operario, Angrense, Micaelense, Estoril, Salamanca, Deportivo La Coruna, Bordeaux, Paris Saint-Germain, and Sao Roque. He has made more than 450 club appearances and scored 224 goals in his club career. He won 6 club trophies in his professional career. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. Pauleta earned 88 caps for his country and netted 47 goals.

11. Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva famously known as Bernardo Silva plays for Premier League club Manchester City. Silva started his senior club career with Benfica in 2013. Since moving to Manchester City in 2017 under Pep Guardiola, he has been playing a key role in midfield for his team. He is highly respected and rated by his peers and coaches for the quality he brings to the field. He has made more than 240 appearances for Manchester City and has netted 39 goals for them. While for Portugal he has earned 97 caps till now and has scored 13 goals. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players.

10. Nani

Luis Carlos Almeida de Cunha commonly known as Nani has a successful professional career. His international career spanned from 2006 to 2017 while his club career spanned from 2005 to till now. Nani has played his entire career as a winger and currently playing for Premeira Liga club Estrela da Amadora. He made his senior club career with Sporting CP in 2005 and his international debut in 2006. He has made more than 450 club appearances and has netted 96 club goals.

Nani has earned 112 caps for Portugal and scored 24 goals. He won the UEFA European Championship with Portugal in 2016. He has won 16 club trophies in his professional career. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players.

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9. Ricardo Carvalho

Ricardo Carvalho was highly regarded as one of the best center-backs of his generation. He has played for some of the European giants in his career like Chelsea and Real Madrid. He has made more than 430 club appearances and scored 19 goals as well. He earned 89 caps for Portugal and has represented his nation in UEFA Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup, UEFA Euro 2008, and the 2010 World Cup. His most famous spell was with Premier League club Chelsea where he made 135 appearances and scored 7 goals winning three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and one FA Community Shield. He has won 20 club trophies in his professional club career. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

8. Paulo Futre

Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre known as Paulo Futre played his entire professional career as a left winger. He started his senior club career with Sporting CP in 1983 and retired in 1998 with Yokohama Flugels. He has made more than 330 club appearances and scored 77 goals in his club career. He made his international debut for Portugal in 1983 and went on to play till 1995. He earned 41 caps for Portugal and netted 6 goals. He has represented clubs in Spain, France, England, Italy, and Japan. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players ever. He represented his nation at the 1986 World Cup.

7. Pepe

Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira is famously known as Pepe in the footballing world. He is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs of all time. Pepe started his senior club career with Maritimo in 2001 and retired in 2024 with Porto. He has made more than 535 club appearances and netted 35 goals in his club career. Pepe is known for his aggressive tackling, physically strong, and quick on the ball. He was also considered a threat on set pieces due to his strong aerial techniques. He has won 27 club trophies in his professional career. He has won the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2018-19 with Portugal. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

6. Deco

Anderson Luis de Souza famously known as Deco born in Brazil but played for Portugal. He played as an attacking or central midfielder his entire professional career. He is considered as one of the best midfielders of his generation. He started his senior club career with Corinthians in 1996 and went on to play till 2013 with Fluminense. Deco has made more than 400 club appearances and scored 133 goals in his club career. His style of play was considered impressive, he was a creative and versatile midfielder with technical abilities. He earned 75 caps for Portugal and netted 5 goals. He represented his nation at two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

5. Rui Costa

Rui Costa was considered and regarded as one of the best playmakers in the world in his prime. Rui Costa made his senior club career with Benfica in 1990. He has played for clubs like Benfica, Fiorentina, and AC Milan. Rui Costa has made more than 498 appearances and scored 66 goals in his entire club career. He earned 94 caps for Portugal and netted 26 goals for his country. He has represented his nation in one FIFA World Cup and three UEFA European Championships. He had a unique style of play as he was quick, technical gifted, and looked elegant while making creative plays. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

4. Mario Coluna

Mario Coluna played his entire career mainly as a central midfielder. He spent most of his club career with Benfica as he debuted for them in 1954 and went on to play for them till 1970 before moving to Lyon for a brief period. He has made more than 280 club appearances and scored 91 goals in his club career. He has won 19 major club titles with Benfica. He has represented his nation at the 1966 World Cup. Mario Coluna has earned 57 caps for Portugal and netted 8 goals. He was known for his passing, especially his long-range accurate passes and he also had powerful long shots. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time.

3. Luis Figo

Luis Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo famously known as Luis Figo played as a winger his entire professional career. Figo has made more than 570 club appearances for clubs like Real Madrid, Sporting CP, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. He has scored 93 goals in his professional club career. Luis Figo is considered one of the greatest of his generation. He has won the 2000 Ballon d’Or and the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year making him one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. He earned 127 caps for Portugal and netted 32 goals for his country. He has represented his nation at two UEFA European Championships and two FIFA World Cups. He has won more than 22 club trophies in his career which is remarkable.

2. Eusebio

Eusebio de Silva Ferreira famously known as Eusebio nicknamed, ‘Black Panther’, “Black Pearl’, and ‘O Rei” played as a striker his entire professional career. He is considered one of the greatest Portuguese football players of all time. Eusebio was known for his speed runs, technique, and athleticism. He is also considered one of the most prolific goal-scorers in history. He has made more than 745 professional appearances in his career and scored an ever-impressive 733 goals. He earned 64 caps for Portugal and netted 41 goals for his country. He has won 31 club trophies in his entire professional club career.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro famously known as Cristiano Ronaldo, currently playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. He has made more than 1200 club appearances and has scored a record 900 official goals for club and country. He is known for his speed, dribbling, acceleration, technical skills, and agility. He is a threat in aerial situations or during free kicks. He has won 31 club trophies as of now in his club career.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won 5 Ballon d’Or, one FIFA World Player of the Year, two Best FIFA Men’s Player awards, The Best FIFA Special Award for Outstanding Career Achievement, and many more individual awards. He has gone through many position changes in his career, he started as a right winger, then started playing on the left side, and for the past few years, he has started playing as a striker. He has earned 212 caps for Portugal and netted a record 133 international goals. Ronaldo has represented his nation in 14 major international tournaments six UEFA European Championships, five FIFA World Cups, one FIFA Confederation Cup, and two UEFA Nations League.

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