Ranking Portugal's 5 greatest players of the 21st century
Portugal are one of the few international teams whose current crop of players are among the most successful in the country's history. Although exceptional players like Eusebio, Luis Figo and Pedro Pauleta played for them in the past, they lacked a well-rounded team that could compete for honours.
Portugal's best performance at an international tournament before the 21st century was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. They finished a remarkable third on that occasion. It was the first time they had qualified for the competition after six previous failed attempts.
To sum things up, in the first 16 editions of the World Cup until 1998, Portugal did not qualify on 13 occasions. They have now qualified for each of the last five beginning in 2002; they are in the playoffs to qualify for the 2022 edition.
However, Portugal have a better record in Europe. They won the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2018-19, and also won the UEFA Euro 2016 - their first-ever international trophy.
On this day, 5 years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal won EURO 2016. 🇵🇹🏆 https://t.co/gwofJxqGbO
Portugal's resurgence has been aided by a crop of world-class talent. Their current team boasts some incredible players too. Players like Diogo Jota, Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo have shown a lot of promise in recent times.
On that note, here's a look at the five best players produced by Portugal in the 21st century.
#5 Joao Moutinho
Joao Moutinho was born in Barreiro, Portugal, in 1986. He began his youth career at Sporting CP, and made his senior debut for the club in 2003. Moutinho has since played for Porto and Monaco, and is currently at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Portugal international has been a mainstay in the starting XI for club and country.
Moutinho has made 755 club appearances, scoring 51 goals and providing 121 assists. Over the years, he has played a quiet and composed role at the heart of midfield - a role that usually goes unnoticed in a stat-crazy era.
He controls the ball, distributes it well to his teammates and knows when to play threaded passes. Moutinho has also made 142 appearances for Portugal, and is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo in their all-time appearance chart.
The pair shared an intense and unforgettable moment in UEFA Euro 2016. Ronaldo used his leadership skills to motivate Moutinho to take a kick in the penalty shootout against Poland in the quarter-final. The latter obliged and scored.
Will never forget this moment between João Moutinho and Cristiano Ronaldo before the penalty shootout at Euro 2016.
Captain. Leader. Legend. 💚❤️ https://t.co/nXk4VmAln1
Moutinho has won three Primeira Liga titles, three Taca de Portugal Cups, one Ligue 1 title and the UEFA Europa League. With his country, the midfielder won Euro 2016 as well as the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2018-19.
With over 15 appearances between him and the next player, Moutinho is set to remain at the top of several lists in Portugal's footballing history.
#4 Ricardo Carvalho
Ricardo Carvalho was born in Amarante, Portugal, in 1978. He began his youth career with FC Porto in Portugal before making his senior debut for them in 1997. Carvalho was a solid centre-back who gave attackers little breathing room, and had an imposing physical presence. Most notably having played for Chelsea, the defender also represented Real Madrid and AS Monaco.
Carvalho made 560 appearances at club level, scoring 22 goals and assisting 13. He was known for commanding the box, and not making tackles unless absolutely necessary. The former Portugal international was impressive in one-on-one situations, and seldom folded under pressure.
You can watch a montage of Carvalho's performances here:
🥳 Happy birthday, 2004 winner Ricardo Carvalho!
#UCL | #HBD https://t.co/ON4iSgNlmP
In club football, he won seven league titles, four domestic cups, one UEFA Cup and one UEFA Champions League. He was named UEFA's Best Club Defender of the Year in 2003-04, and was also part of the UEFA Team of the Year that season.
Carvalho also made 89 appearances for Portugal, winning Euro 2016 with them. The defender called it quits from football in 2017 after a brief spell with Shanghai SIPG in China.