PortuGOAL

So, what will Portugal’s World Cup XI be?

With the World Cup in touching distance and Portugal’s 23-man squad finalised, Seleção fans can at last start to ponder about Portugal’s starting eleven when the European Champions take to the field in Russia in a little over three weeks’ time.

With youthful talent and exuberance combined with several seasoned veterans of the game at their disposal, pin-pointing Portugal’s eleven is not as clear-cut as it once was, despite Fernando Santos’ reputation for being overly pragmatic and stubborn.

PortuGOAL looks at the possible formations and line-ups for the Seleção’s group stage matches of the 2018 World Cup.

Essayist George — As much as I love Raphael and believe his performances are integral to Portugal's success, I most definitely would not have him starting in the first game against Spain. I look at Mario Rui as our left-sided Cedric - that is to say, he's better defensively than offensively - so, in a game where we k......

joe — Dias needs to play the friendlies and start at the WC. So do Moutinho instead of Mario and Bernardo instead of Andre Silva. Patricio, Cedric, Dias, Pepe, Guerreiro, William, Moutinho, Adrien, Fernandes Bernardo, Ronaldo...

mike — Excellent...I have some ideas based on opposition and what Santos might find out during the 3 friendlies before the first game against Spain. I think the 3 friendlies will help decide what his best CB pairing is and if Dias gets game time that will be the time to show it and stake a claim especiall......

Portuguese Primeira Liga team of the season 2017/18

The domestic season in Portugal has come to a close so it’s time to sum up which individuals impressed most across the campaign.

Porto ended their 5-year trophy drought to win the Liga NOS championship and as a result it is unsurprising that their players dominate this list.

PortuGOAL brings you the 2017/18 Portuguese Primeira Liga team of the season.

Sporting’s Bruno de Carvalho years: the toughest of endings

There can be few fans across the world as eager to see their club succeed as Sporting’s, who will have to endure another year, their 17th in a row, without an elusive league title.

The Lions have fallen on hard times since the glory days of Mário Jardel and co. in 2002, more specifically at the start of the current decade, with the club facing financial ruin throughout their rivals’ shared periods of dominance.

Club president Bruno de Carvalho, back in 2013, was the man elected to steer a successful road to recovery and with his abrasive style came a real sense of presence for the Sporting faithful, deemed necessary in light of the political facets the Portuguese game tends to uncover away from the pitch.

Andrew/ny — Patrick, well written and 100% true. It is very hard for me to continue supporting this club. I don't mind the 17 years without the title, I don't mind the stupid losses, and I don't mind we always sell our stars at the end of the season. I care more about the team playing fun football, taking on Eu......

Aves make history with Taça de Portugal victory

Aves 2-1 Sporting

In a historic day for the club from the small northern town of Vila das Aves, the minnows beat crisis-ridden Sporting 2-1 at the Estádio Nacional to claim their first ever Taça de Portugal.

An Alexandre Guedes' brace put Aves up 2-0 after 72 minutes, Fredy Montero scored a skilful late effort to give Sporting hope, but José Mota’s side hung on to lift the trophy.

Val — Sporting fans should thank the inbred drop out ultras for this lose. Could not have been easy to just go into a cup final after being attacked a few days prior. What a bunch of morons, hope the law actually does something to the delinquents and Sporting get rid of that awful BdC. Sporting just ca......

Joao — this guy alexandre guedes is really good finisher. where was this guy? he could have make fool of coates like than again in the world cup....

Nunogomes21 — Been a while since posting but I had to on this occasion because of Quim. Since I began watching soccer there were two players I absolutely adored. One was Nuno Gomes and the other Quim. What an accomplishment for him and his team today. I was so very glad to see that wuim was in the starting lin......

Big Three turn their focus to the transfer window

The history books will tell you that Porto were Portuguese champions in 2017/2018 by a comfortable margin of seven points. However, supporters of all Portugal’s “big three” will remember just how razor sharp the title race was until the penultimate week.

As the excitement (or disappointment) from the season subsides in Portugal, each club will look ahead to what promises to be a busy summer. The traditional top three, along with Braga, proved to be a class above the rest this season. With a gap of 24 points between fourth-placed Braga and fifth-placed Rio Ave, it was truly a league dominated by the top four. At 51 points, despite finishing fifth, Rio Ave were closer to relegation than they were to cracking the top four!

As the transfer window is set to open, PortuGOAL assess how the summer might play out for Portugal’s top clubs.

Portugal’s 23

Portugal coach Fernando Santos has named the 23 players who will be heading to World Cup Russia 2018 in representation of the European Champions.

He has picked thirteen of the players who participated in Euro 2016. Only six players ply their trade in their home country, and the most represented club is Sporting, contributing four members of the squad.

Rúben Dias is the youngest member of the squad having just turned 21, and the only player who has not debuted for the full national team, while Bruno Alves is the oldest, at 36 years of age (the same age as goalkeeper Beto but Alves is six months older). PortuGOAL brings you a brief profile of the Seleção players striving for glory in Russia.

John — Patricio Raphael - Pepe - Fonte - Cedric William - Silva Bernardo - Moutinho Silva - CR7...

Joao Rosario — don' worry all/ Boss knows what he's doing. he's going for the euro 2016 formation plan because adrien silva and joao mario have peeked just in time for the tournament. they will be joined by william and bernardo at the midfield. forwards will be ronaldo and silva. in defense we start with ruben and......

GULI — i think portugal doesnt need adrien silva and ruben dias instead him was better Daaniloo ferreira and neelson semedo...

Portugal’s World Cup squad announced - Neves out, Ricardo in

The wait is over.

Fernando Santos has announced the Portugal squad for World Cup 2018. In a largely expected list, the major surprise was the exclusion of Rúben Neves, who had a magnificent season for Wolverhampton Wanderers and seemed a natural replacement for the injured Danilo. Santos preferred Adrien Silva as the backup to William in the defensive midfield position.

Elsewhere, Porto right-back Ricardo Pereira got the nod over João Cancelo and Nélson Semedo, while another Barcelona player, André Gomes, also missed out. Santos said the players will report for duty next Tuesday.

Updated article - Ricardo in, Neves out

Johnny — William is struggling with fitness issues. He hasn’t been able fo finish a full match since his injury. This is another concern especially since he’s expected to play every minute of the tournament. Leaving Neves out is looking dumber and dumber. Just what we need. Another problem on top of the ......

Halane — Besides of calling up brono alves, jose fonte and adrian silve. This selection seems very good balance and i hope not to be in start line up because today footbal bacame more faster than before so we need fresh and players all in all force portugal....

Chronicle of a sad day for Sporting Clube de Portugal

Sporting’s Alcochete football training complex has acquired global fame.

The Lisbon club’s academy has consistently developed some of the world’s great footballers and is the only one to have produced two Ballon d’Or winners – Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yesterday it was again the centre of attention in the football world, but for all the wrong reasons.

At 5pm, as the first-team squad prepared to train in preparation for Sunday’s Portuguese Cup final, a group of 50 masked Sporting ultras stormed the complex, entered the changing rooms, violently attacked the players, coaching and medical staff and left a trail of destruction in their wake.

joe — Was there ever any doubt that when Carvalho was elected president this wasn't going to end well? Still it could get even worse before it gets better....

Val — BdC is the biggest idiot to hit Sporting since Bojinov. So many questions here like how 50 inbred drop-outs managed to walk through the stadium with no one stopping them (security) or calling the police? Are stadiums in Portugal different than they are here? No lockdown after matches? No security a......

Rolf Gerber — BdC is the undertaker of the whole Portuguese League and Portuguese Football in general. He is not about Sporting, he is only about himself, himself, himself. He is obviously a total narcissistic personality. To put himself in the media and in the forefront, he sacrifies everything and everybody els......

PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Vitória Setúbal's saviour André Pereira

A thrilling and memorable Liga NOS season came to an end on Sunday, Benfica clinching 2nd place and Champions League football ahead of bitter rivals Sporting, while Estoril and Paços Ferreira saw their stays in the division come to an end.

Porto were crowned champions last week, and it was one of their young players out on loan who made a significant impact on the weekend’s action.

Vitória Setúbal maintained their top-flight status thanks to a goal from André Pereira, a January loan signing from the Dragões who has made steady improvement in his 5-month spell with the team. He is PortuGOAL’s final 2017/18 Figure of the Week.

Sporting succumb to final twist as Benfica win Champions League race

With the finish line firmly in sight, there was plenty still at stake at both ends of the table going into the final fixtures of the Primeira Liga season, as Sporting and Benfica battled for UEFA Champions League qualification and the many millions that a second-placed finish would bring.

Before both Lisbon clubs could try their luck, there was the chance to see the new league champions in action for the last time this season, as FC Porto crowned a successful season with a 1-0 win away to Vitória de Guimarães.

The following day, with all the remaining games being played simultaneously, the biggest shock waves came out of Madeira where Sporting collapsed at the final hurdle to a 2-1 defeat to Marítimo. The result opened the opportunity for city rivals Benfica to leapfrog the Lions, with a second-half Jonas penalty providing the push required to defeat Moreirense 1-0 at the Estádio da Luz, subsequently securing Champions League football next season.

Week 34 round-up with video highlights