The Turkish title race was thrown open this weekend, with José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce given renewed hope after champions Galatasaray were beaten by Besiktas. There were Portuguese to thank for the result, with Rafa Silva and Gedson Fernandes getting the goals for Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to reduce the gap at the top to six points with a Fener game in-hand.

Elsewhere, João Neves continued to enjoy a sensational debut season in France with Paris Saint-Germain, the midfielder getting another goal in their victory at Saint-Etienne. Mathias Lage also scored in Ligue 1 for Brest, while Jota’s resurgence at Celtic continues and Chiquinho scored for Greek champions-elect Olympiacos in a big win over Panathinaikos.

The new Campeonato Brasileiro 2025 got underway this weekend, with Leonardo Jardim marking his debut in the top flight by guiding Cruzeiro to victory. Meanwhile, last season’s top 2 each had a Portuguese on the bench as Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras were held to a goalless draw by champions Botafogo, now led by Renato Paiva.

Elsewhere, there was a Portuguese goalscorer for Vasco da Gama as the Rio de Janeiro club handed Pedro Caixinha’s Santos a defeat on his Serie A debut. For promoted side Sport, led by Pepa and with a trio of Portuguese players, there was a solid opening-day draw at São Paulo.

• Jose Mourinho

France and Real Madrid legend Raphaël Varane has been speaking about his experience working under José Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu as a young player.

Varane, who retired earlier this season after injury problems, sat down alongside another former Mourinho charge, Lassana Diarra, on a French show co-hosted by current Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni. Mourinho was a particular subject of conversation, with both ex-players praising the Portuguese’s approach.

• Nuno Mendes
• Goncalo Ramos
• Vitinha
• Joao Neves
• PSG

For decades, Paris was the city with the highest population of Portuguese citizens outside of Lisbon such were the endless swathes of emigrants making their way from a poverty-stricken Portugal under dictatorship to “the city of light”. Today, the French capital remains a big attraction for another kind of emigration: that of world-class footballers.

Vitinha, João Neves, Nuno Mendes and Gonçalo Ramos have all enhanced their reputation in Ligue 1. Zach Lowy delves into their impressive individual and collective development under Luis Enrique and ponders on what it may mean for Portugal’s chances of glory.