The Anthem
A Portuguesa
▶ Listen on YouTube ↗“Heróis do mar, nobre povo… / Heroes of the sea, noble people…”
Born as a patriotic protest song in 1890 before becoming the national anthem.
The Legends
Names that echo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Forward · 2000s–20s
The most prolific international scorer in men's football history and a global icon.
Eusébio
Forward · 1960s
'The Black Panther'; top scorer of the 1966 World Cup and Portugal's first superstar.
Luís Figo
Winger · 1990s–2000s
Ballon d'Or winner and leader of the 'golden generation'.
Fun Facts
Worth knowing
- 01
Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in men's international football, with well over 130 goals.
- 02
Eusébio scored four goals in a single 1966 quarter-final to drag Portugal back from 3-0 down against North Korea.
- 03
Portugal's age of exploration gave the world a language now spoken on four continents.
At the World Cup
The story so far
From Eusébio's 1966 heroics to the Ronaldo era, Portugal has long mixed flair with frustration at the World Cup — a perennial dark horse whose golden generations keep promising more.
Eusébio's tournament
Eusébio's nine goals, including four in one comeback against North Korea, carried Portugal to third place.
Group Stage