History of the Portugal national football team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The history of the Portugal national football team dates back to its first match on 18 December 1921. The national team, also referred to as Seleção das Quinas (Selection of the Quinas), represents the nation of Portugal in international football. It is fielded by the Portuguese Football Federation and competes as one of the founding members of UEFA.
Nickname(s) | A Seleção (The Selection) Os Navegadores (The Navigators) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Portuguese Football Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, FPF) | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Roberto Martínez | ||
Captain | Cristiano Ronaldo | ||
Most caps | Cristiano Ronaldo (205) | ||
Top scorer | Cristiano Ronaldo (128) | ||
Home stadium | Various | ||
FIFA code | POR | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 6 1 (4 April 2024)[1] | ||
Highest | 2 (May–June 2010, October 2012, April–June 2014, September 2017 – April 2018) | ||
Lowest | 25 (August 1998) | ||
First international | |||
Spain 3–1 Portugal (Madrid, Spain; 19 December 1921) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Portugal 9–0 Luxembourg (Algarve, Portugal; September 11, 2023) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Portugal 0–10 England (Lisbon, Portugal; 25 May 1947) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 8 (first in 1966) | ||
Best result | Third place (1966) | ||
European Championship | |||
Appearances | 8 (first in 1984) | ||
Best result | Champions (2016) | ||
Nations League | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2019) | ||
Best result | Champions (2019) | ||
FIFA Confederations Cup | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2017) | ||
Best result | Third place (2017) | ||
Website | fpf |
The Portugal national football team has played its first international match until 1921 and also took part in the FIFA World Cup, where their best finish was third in 1966. After reaching the final of the UEFA Euro 2004 on home soil with their golden generation, and reaching the semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Portugal's first major trophy came 2016 with the that year's European championship, which was followed by the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019, making it the second major tournament earned by the Portuguese in three finals.