The Portugal national football team has showcased some of game’s greatest talents down the years and will be hoping elite names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias can shine at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
Ahead of the tournament, we look at the five top scorers in Portugal’s history….
Gomes was a regular for Portugal between the years 2000 and 2008, featuring at three European Championships and one World Cup.
Gomes first found the back of the net for Portugal in Group A of Euro 2000 against England in a 3-2 victory where he secured the winner in the 59th minute, hitting a right-footed shot past David Seaman.
He would grab a further three goals in this competition, scoring a brace in a 2-0 win against Turkey in the quarter-finals and scoring in the semi-finals as Portugal lost to France.
He netted at Euro 2004 when Portugal finished runners-up and scored in the third-place playoff game against Germany, but would never win any silverware with his country.
Gomes’ final international goal was scored in the 3-2 quarter-final loss to Germany, where he wore the captain’s armband.
A former Balon d’Or winner, Luis Figo established himself as one of the best players in the late 90s and early 00s, playing for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Sporting Lisbon.
Figo would be critical in Portugal’s set-up, with him providing numerous assists over the years – including five in ten World Cup games.
Read more: World Cup 2022: Dates, Schedule, Location, Groups, Tickets, Odds And More
The closest Figo got to winning silverware with Portugal was in Euro 2004, but they would lose 2-1 to Greece in the final.
Figo’s final international goal came in a 3-0 win against Luxembourg in an international friendly in 2006, taking his international tally to 32.
A legendary forward who had a relatively short international career, Eusebio made a name for himself in the 1960s for Benfica in the Portuguese League, winning eleven Portuguese League titles, five Portuguese Cups and one European Champions Club Cup.
Eusebio’s impact on the international stage was similar, scoring numerous goals in quick succession and finishing the 1966 World Cup as the top goalscorer with nine goals before losing out to England in the semi-finals.
Eusebio didn’t win any international silverware but became a part of World Cup history with an incredible 1966 World Cup campaign.
The main man for Portugal up top in the early 00s, Pauleta was a certified goal scorer with a fantastic club record in Ligue 1 as well as La Liga.
Pauleta’s first international goal came in a European Qualifier in 1999 when he scored a brace against Azerbaijan.
His performances in World Cup and European Qualifiers were dominant, scoring 21 goals in 30 qualification games.
The 2006 World Cup qualification saw Pauleta finish top goalscorer with 11 goals. However, he was denied a winners medal due to Portugal suffering a shock loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final.
One of the greatest of all time, a five-time Balon d’Or winner, and the most international goals scored in history. Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend of the game for both club and country.
Ronaldo took the Premier League by storm at Manchester United under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, but his most success came at the Bernabeu with Real Madrid where he scored 450 goals in 438 games, winning four of his five Balon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo’s incredible club form is reflected just as much on the international stage, scoring over 100 international goals.
Ronaldo’s first international goal came in Group A of Euro 2004 in a 2-1 loss against Greece. His most memorable performance in the competition saw him get a goal and an assist to take Portugal to the final of the Euros after defeating Netherlands 2-1.
Ronaldo has scored in every major international tournament to date, but he had to wait until 2016 for his first piece of international success as Portugal was crowned the winners of Euro 2016 after a 1-0 win against France.
Ronaldo continues to play for the national team, with this winter’s World Cup likely being his final chance to lift the most prestigious prize in football.
Football Journalist for GiveMeSport
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