Football in Portugal is back from its Christmas break and the first round of Primeira Liga matches of 2020 sees Sporting host FC Porto in Lisbon on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors will be desperate for all three points to stay in touch with leaders Benfica, while Sporting are looking to build on improved form of late. PortuGOAL previews the first Clássico of the New Year. 

Having selected the “team of the decade” for each of the Big Three, PortuGOAL now picks the best XI from the 2010s chosen from all Primeira Liga sides.

Porto and Benfica have dominated Portuguese football these past ten years. The Eagles have won the league five times in that period, compared to four times for the Dragons. And with the two fierce rivals again set to fight it out between themselves for the last championship of the decade, it is no surprise that Porto and Benfica players dominate the overall team of the decade.

The players were selected based on three criteria: the footballing quality they showed in Portugal, consistency over time, and silverware won. Or to put it another way, the players who had most influence on this past decade of football in Portugal.

Have we got it right or are we wide of the mark? Feel free to comment to help us arrive at that elusive ideal in Portuguese football – a consensus. Meanwhile, if you think you are better at picking numbers, don’t miss out on promo code casino777.

In the third of PortuGOAL’s “team of the decade” series, Pedro Taveira (@ppaodemonio), brings us Sporting’s finest XI selected from players who represented the Lisbon club in the 2010s.

As the graphic to the right shows, although Sporting has struggled to put together consistently competitive teams in the past decade, it is not through any shortage of top-quality footballers at Alvalade in that time.

Indeed, four of the SCP team of the decade played a major role in helping Portugal lift its inaugural piece of major silverware, at Euro 2016. Take it away Pedro. 

In part two of PortuGOAL’s “team of the decade” series, Marco Lopes (@FootyML) turns the spotlight on Benfica.

Having won the Portuguese Primeira Liga in 5 of the 9 championships contested so far this decade, there are no shortage of candidates for each position.

Each player’s selection is justified, followed by honourable mentions listing those who narrowly missed out.

Interestingly, although Benfica have dominated the second half of the decade, Marco’s picks include several names from the first half of the 2010s. 

Has he got it right?