Portugal national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Portugal

Nickname(s)	A Seleção das Quinas (The Team of the Escutcheons) Lusos (Lusitanians)
Association	Portuguese Football Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, FPF)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Roberto Martínez
Captain	Cristiano Ronaldo
Most caps	Cristiano Ronaldo (221)
Top scorer	Cristiano Ronaldo (138)
Home stadium	Estádio Nacional
FIFA code	POR
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	6 (7 February 2019)
Highest	3 (May–June 2010, October 2012, April–June 2014, September 2017–April 2018)
Lowest	43 (August 1998)
Elo ranking
Current	7 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest	2 (June 2006)
Lowest	42 (November 1962)
First international
Spain 3–1 Portugal  (Madrid, Spain; 18 December 1921)
Biggest win
Portugal 9–0 Luxembourg  (Almancil, Portugal; 11 September 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	9 (first in 1984)
Best result	Champions (2016)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	2 (first in 2019)
Best result	Champions (2019, 2025)
Olympic Games
Appearances	4 (first in 1928)
Best result	Fourth place (1996)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2017)
Best result	Third place (2017)
Medal record Men's football FIFA World Cup Bronze 1966 England Team UEFA European Championship Gold 2016 France Team Silver 2004 Portugal Team UEFA Nations League Gold 2019 Portugal Team Gold 2025 Germany Team FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze 2017 Russia Team
Website	fpf.pt

The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in men's international football games. The team is also known as A Seleção das Quinas, which means "The Team of the Escutcheons" (a shield design on their flag). The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) manages the team.

Portugal's home stadium is the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras. They often play matches in other stadiums across the country too. The current coach is Roberto Martínez, and the team captain is Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo holds the record for playing the most games and scoring the most goals for Portugal.

Portugal first played in a major tournament at the 1966 World Cup. With star player Eusébio, they finished in third place. They also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 1984 but lost to France.

Since Euro 2000, Portugal has always qualified for the European Championship and World Cup. They finished fourth at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and were runners-up at UEFA Euro 2004, which they hosted. Famous players like Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo helped them achieve these results.

In 2016, Portugal won their first big trophy, beating France in the Euro 2016 final. This win allowed them to play in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, where they finished third. In 2019, Portugal hosted and won the first UEFA Nations League tournament. They beat the Netherlands to get their second major title. In 2025, they won the Nations League again, making it their third major title.

Portugal has also played in the Olympic football tournament four times. Their best result was fourth place at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Portugal has rivalries with other teams. These include Brazil (due to shared history), Spain (as close neighbors), and France (because of many important matches).

Exploring Portugal's Football Journey

Early World Cup Challenges

Portugal was not invited to the 1930 FIFA World Cup. In the 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification, they lost to Spain with a total score of 11–1 over two games. They also failed to qualify for the 1938 FIFA World Cup, losing to Switzerland.

After World War II, football slowly returned. Portugal suffered their biggest ever defeat, losing 10–0 to England in a friendly game.

Mid-20th Century Football

In 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification, Portugal lost to Spain again. They were invited to replace Turkey in the World Cup but chose not to go. For the 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification, they lost badly to Austria.

In 1958, Portugal won a qualifying match for the first time, beating Italy 3–0. However, they still did not qualify.

The UEFA European Championship started in 1960. Portugal won against East Germany but lost to Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals. They also failed to qualify for the 1962 FIFA World Cup and 1964 European Nations' Cup.

A Historic Third Place at the 1966 World Cup

Portugal finally qualified for a FIFA World Cup in 1966. They won their qualifying group.

At the World Cup, they won all three group games. They beat Hungary 3–1, Bulgaria 3–0, and even the two-time champions Brazil 3–1. In the quarter-finals, they came back from 3–0 down to beat North Korea 5–3, with Eusébio scoring four goals.

They lost 2–1 to hosts England in the semi-finals. Portugal then beat the Soviet Union 2–1 to finish third, their best World Cup result ever. Eusébio was the top scorer with nine goals. Portugal would not qualify for another World Cup for 20 years.

The 1980s: European Championship Success and World Cup Struggles

Portugal qualified for UEFA Euro 1984 by winning their group. They drew with West Germany and Spain, then beat Romania to finish second in their group. In the semi-finals, they lost a close game 3–2 to hosts France in extra time.

For the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Portugal qualified by beating West Germany away from home. This was the first time West Germany lost an official home game. However, Portugal was eliminated early in the group stage after one win and two losses. They didn't play in another World Cup until 2002.

The Golden Generation: 1995–2006

At UEFA Euro 1996, Portugal reached the quarter-finals but lost to the Czech Republic. They did not qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Portugal qualified for UEFA Euro 2000 as the best runner-up. They won all their group games, beating England, Romania, and Germany. They then beat Turkey in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they lost to France after a controversial penalty kick in extra time.

Portugal lost the Euro 2004 final 0–1 to Greece.

Portugal won their group in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying. However, they had problems during the tournament. They lost to the United States and South Korea, and were eliminated in the group stage.

The UEFA Euro 2004 was held in Portugal. They lost their first game to Greece but then beat Russia and Spain. They won against England in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals. They also beat the Netherlands in the semi-finals. But in the final, they lost to Greece again, 1–0.

After Euro 2004, many older players retired. But a new star, Cristiano Ronaldo, emerged and was named to the Euro All-Star team.

Portugal finished first in their qualifying group for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They won their World Cup group with wins over Angola, Iran, and Mexico. In the Round of 16, they beat the Netherlands 1–0 in a very rough game known as the "Battle of Nuremberg." They then beat England on penalties in the quarter-finals to reach their first World Cup semi-final since 1966. Portugal lost 1–0 to France in the semi-final and then 3–1 to Germany in the third-place match.

From 2006 to 2014: A New Era and Mixed Results

For UEFA Euro 2008, Portugal finished second in their qualifying group. They won their first two group games but lost to Switzerland, leading to a quarter-final match against Germany, which they lost 3–2.

Portugal qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after winning a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. They had a long unbeaten streak before losing 1–0 to eventual champions Spain in the Round of 16.

Ronaldo, pictured playing against Germany at Euro 2012, became captain after Euro 2008.

Portugal qualified for UEFA Euro 2012. They were in a tough group with Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. They lost to Germany but beat Denmark and the Netherlands, with Ronaldo scoring twice against the Dutch. They finished second in the group. Portugal beat the Czech Republic 1–0 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they lost to Spain in a penalty shootout.

In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Portugal beat Sweden in a play-off, with Ronaldo scoring all four goals. At the World Cup, they were in a group with the United States, Germany, and Ghana. They lost 4–0 to Germany, drew with the United States, and beat Ghana. However, they were eliminated due to a worse goal difference.

2016 to Present: First Major Trophies

After a coach change, Portugal qualified for UEFA Euro 2016. They finished third in their group but still made it to the knockout stages. They beat Croatia in extra time and then Poland on penalties. In the semi-finals, they defeated Wales 2–0. In the final against hosts France, Ronaldo got injured. But substitute Eder scored the winning goal in extra time, giving Portugal their first major trophy!

After winning Euro 2016, Portugal played in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. They won their group but lost to Chile on penalties in the semi-finals. They then beat Mexico 2–1 in extra time to finish third.

Portugal lining up before a match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Portugal drew 3–3 with Spain, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring three goals. They beat Morocco 1–0 and drew 1–1 with Iran to move to the knockout round. They were then eliminated by Uruguay, losing 2–1.

After the World Cup, Portugal won the first-ever UEFA Nations League in 2019. They beat the Netherlands 1–0 in the final.

At UEFA Euro 2020, Portugal was in a tough group with France, Germany, and Hungary. They advanced to the next round but lost 1–0 to Belgium.

For the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Portugal had to go through play-offs. They beat Turkey and North Macedonia to qualify. At the World Cup, they beat Ghana 3–2 and Uruguay 2–0 to reach the knockout stages. They crushed Switzerland 6–1 in the next round, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring three goals. However, they were eliminated by Morocco, losing 1–0 in the quarter-finals. After this, Fernando Santos was replaced by Roberto Martínez as the new head coach in January 2023.

Team Look and Feel

Team Kits

Portugal's home kit is usually red with green details, matching the colors of their flag. The shade of red can change, sometimes darker, sometimes lighter. They use either green or red shorts.

Their away kits change more often. White is a common color, sometimes with blue shorts or red and green highlights. Recently, they've used all-black or a turquoise-teal color, like during their Euro 2016 win.

Kit Suppliers

Period	Supplier
1920–1976	None
1976–1994	Adidas
1994–1996	Olympic Sportswear
1997–2024	Nike
2025–	Puma

Coaching Staff

Roberto Martínez, the current coach

The coaching staff helps the team prepare and play their best.

Position	Name
Head coach	Roberto Martínez
Assistant coaches	Austin MacPhee Ricardo Carvalho
Goalkeeping coaches	Ricardo Iñaki Bergara
Chief analyst	Bruno Pereira
Performance manager	Richard Evans
Technical director	José Couceiro José Guilherme
Sports scientist	João Brito
Head of media and communications	Marco Ferreira
Academy manager	Joaquim Milheiro

Current Players and Team Statistics

Meet the Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals.

• Caps and goals correct as of: June 8, 2025, after the match against Spain.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Diogo Costa	(1999-09-19) 19 September 1999 (age 25)	36	0	Porto
12	1GK	José Sá	(1993-01-17) 17 January 1993 (age 32)	3	0	Wolverhampton Wanderers
22	1GK	Rui Silva	(1994-02-07) 7 February 1994 (age 31)	1	0	Sporting CP
2	2DF	Nélson Semedo	(1993-11-16) 16 November 1993 (age 31)	44	0	Wolverhampton Wanderers
3	2DF	Rúben Dias	(1997-05-14) 14 May 1997 (age 28)	68	3	Manchester City
4	2DF	António Silva	(2003-10-30) 30 October 2003 (age 21)	17	0	Benfica
5	2DF	Diogo Dalot	(1999-03-18) 18 March 1999 (age 26)	29	3	Manchester United
13	2DF	Renato Veiga	(2003-07-29) 29 July 2003 (age 21)	5	0	Chelsea
14	2DF	Gonçalo Inácio	(2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 23)	16	2	Sporting CP
25	2DF	Nuno Mendes	(2002-06-19) 19 June 2002 (age 23)	37	1	Paris Saint-Germain
6	3MF	João Palhinha	(1995-07-09) 9 July 1995 (age 29)	34	2	Bayern Munich
8	3MF	Bruno Fernandes	(1994-09-08) 8 September 1994 (age 30)	80	25	Manchester United
10	3MF	Bernardo Silva (vice-captain)	(1994-08-10) 10 August 1994 (age 30)	102	13	Manchester City
15	3MF	João Neves	(2004-09-27) 27 September 2004 (age 20)	16	0	Paris Saint-Germain
18	3MF	Rúben Neves	(1997-03-13) 13 March 1997 (age 28)	58	0	Al-Hilal
19	3MF	Pedro Gonçalves	(1998-06-28) 28 June 1998 (age 27)	3	0	Sporting CP
23	3MF	Vitinha	(2000-02-13) 13 February 2000 (age 25)	29	0	Paris Saint-Germain
7	4FW	Cristiano Ronaldo (captain)	(1985-02-05) 5 February 1985 (age 40)	221	138	Al-Nassr
9	4FW	Gonçalo Ramos	(2001-06-20) 20 June 2001 (age 24)	16	9	Paris Saint-Germain
11	4FW	João Félix	(1999-11-10) 10 November 1999 (age 25)	45	9	Chelsea
16	4FW	Francisco Trincão	(1999-12-29) 29 December 1999 (age 25)	11	2	Sporting CP
17	4FW	Rafael Leão	(1999-06-10) 10 June 1999 (age 26)	40	5	Milan
20	4FW	Pedro Neto	(2000-03-09) 9 March 2000 (age 25)	17	2	Chelsea
21	4FW	Diogo Jota	(1996-12-04) 4 December 1996 (age 28)	49	14	Liverpool
24	4FW	Rodrigo Mora	(2007-05-05) 5 May 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Porto
26	4FW	Francisco Conceição	(2002-12-14) 14 December 2002 (age 22)	11	2	Juventus

Recent Player Call-ups

These players have also been called up to the Portugal squad in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Ricardo Velho	(1998-08-20) 20 August 1998 (age 26)	0	0	Farense	v.  Scotland, 15 October 2024
GK	Rui Patrício	(1988-02-15) 15 February 1988 (age 37)	108	0	Al Ain	Euro 2024
DF	Nuno Tavares	(2000-01-26) 26 January 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Lazio	2025 Nations League Finals INJ
DF	João Cancelo	(1994-05-27) 27 May 1994 (age 31)	60	10	Al-Hilal	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
DF	Tomás Araújo	(2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Benfica	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
DF	Tiago Djaló	(2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Porto	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
DF	Tiago Santos	(2002-07-23) 23 July 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Lille	v.  Scotland, 8 September 2024
DF	Pepe	(1983-02-26) 26 February 1983 (age 42)	141	8	Retired	Euro 2024
MF	Otávio	(1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 30)	22	3	Al-Nassr	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
MF	Samú Costa	(2000-11-27) 27 November 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Mallorca	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
MF	Matheus Nunes	(1998-08-27) 27 August 1998 (age 26)	16	2	Manchester City	v.  Poland, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF	Danilo Pereira	(1991-09-09) 9 September 1991 (age 33)	74	2	Al-Ittihad	Euro 2024
FW	Geovany Quenda	(2007-04-30) 30 April 2007 (age 18)	0	0	Sporting CP	v.  Denmark, 23 March 2025
FW	Fábio Silva	(2002-07-19) 19 July 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Las Palmas	v.  Croatia, 18 November 2024
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player retired from international football. OTH Player withdrew from the squad due to other reasons.

Top Players: Most Games Played

Cristiano Ronaldo has played the most games and scored the most goals for Portugal.

These players have played the most games for Portugal. Players in bold are still playing.

Top Players: Most Goals Scored

These players have scored the most goals for Portugal. Players in bold are still playing.

Goal Records and Milestones

• Most goals in one World Cup: 9 – Eusébio (1966)
• Most goals in World Cup history: 9 – Eusébio (1966)
• Most goals in one European Championship: 5 – Cristiano Ronaldo (2020)
• Most goals in European Championship history: 14 – Cristiano Ronaldo (across 5 tournaments)
• Oldest goalscorer: 40 years, 4 months, 3 days – Cristiano Ronaldo (against Spain on June 8, 2025)
• Youngest goalscorer: 17 years, 9 months, 25 days – Fernando Chalana (against Cyprus on December 5, 1976)
• Most hat-tricks (3 goals in one game): 10 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• Most "pokers" (4 goals in one game): 2 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• Youngest player to score a hat-trick: 20 years, 11 months, 4 days – André Silva (against Faroe Islands on October 10, 2016)

Other Player Records

• Most matches played in World Cup: 22 – Cristiano Ronaldo (across 5 tournaments)
• Most matches played in European Championship: 30 – Cristiano Ronaldo (across 6 tournaments)
• Oldest player: 41 years, 4 months, 9 days – Pepe (against France on July 5, 2024)
• Longest national career: 21 years, 9 months, 19 days – Cristiano Ronaldo (from 2003 to 2025)
• Youngest player to debut: 17 years, 6 months, 24 days – Paulo Futre (against Finland on September 21, 1983)
• Youngest player to reach 100 games: 27 years, 8 months, 11 days – Cristiano Ronaldo (against Northern Ireland on October 16, 2012)
• Youngest player to reach 200 games: 38 years, 4 months, 15 days – Cristiano Ronaldo (against Iceland on June 20, 2023)

Portugal's Football Achievements

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

Major Competitions

• FIFA World Cup
  • Third place (1): 1966
• UEFA European Championship
  • Champions (1): 2016
  • Runners-up (1): 2004
• UEFA Nations League
  • Champions (2): 2019, 2025
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Third place (1): 2017

Friendly Tournaments

• SkyDome Cup
  • Champions: 1995
• Brazil Independence Cup
  • Runners-up: 1972

Special Awards

• FIFA World Cup Most Entertaining Team: 2006
• Laureus World Sports Awards for Team of the Year: Nominated in 2017

Summary of Trophies

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	0	0	1	1
FIFA Confederations Cup	0	0	1	1
UEFA European Championship	1	1	0	2
UEFA Nations League	2	0	0	2
Total	3	1	2	6

Football Rivalries

Portugal has exciting rivalries with other national teams. One of the most notable is the Portugal–Spain football rivalry with their Iberian neighbors.

Images for kids

• 

  Angelos Charisteas scored the winning goal for Greece in the Euro 2004 final against Portugal.

• 

  Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Portugal at Euro 2012. He became the team captain after Euro 2008.

• 

  The Portugal national football team lining up before a match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Roberto Martínez, the current head coach of the Portugal national football team.

• 

  Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's all-time leader in games played and goals scored.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Portugal para niños