There is no question that the Portuguese league has become the preferred destination for many young footballers looking to develop their as yet unrealized potential, before moving onto a bigger stage.

Many of today’s global superstars such as James Rodriguez, David Luiz and a certain Cristiano Ronaldo got a solid grounding in the Primeira Liga.

Less well known, however, is that outside Portugal’s Big Three some of the more modest clubs often have gems in their ranks, who later go on to find fame and fortune abroad – strikers Diego Costa (Braga) and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Campomaiorense) being two prime examples.

PortuGOAL looks at ten players from Portugal’s feeder clubs who impressed this season and could become a great bargain buy for attentive foreign clubs this summer.

With the Primeira Liga title already wrapped up, the final game of the season versus Boavista offered Benfica coach Rui Vitória the opportunity to field some of those on the fringes of the first team in celebration of a long and successful season.

Despite going 2-0 down, a spirited comeback from the Eagles earned them a 2-2 draw late on at the Bessa, taking the total of points accumulated for this campaign up to 82.

Second placed FC Porto had a spicier affair on their hands, as Moreirense attempted to avoid the drop against the odds with a positive result versus the Dragons.

The Taça da Liga winners managed to do just that, defeating the Blue and Whites 3-1 in front of a home crowd before seeing Arouca out of the division, whereas Sporting brought the season to a close with a 4-1 win at home to Chaves, with Bas Dost netting a hat-trick.

Another remarkable final weekend in the Liga NOS saw the triumphant survival of Tondela, their second stunning escape from the drop in a row.

Tondela only made their top-flight debut in 2015/16 and it looked to be a very short stay, before a stunning turnaround in form, catalysed by a famous win at the Estádio do Dragão. Favourites for the drop again this time around, the Viseu side pulled off arguably an even greater escape with a 2-0 win over Braga on Sunday, benefitting from Arouca’s 4-2 defeat at Estoril to preserve their Primeira Liga status by one goal!

Jamie Farr tells the story of Tondela’s season and incredible escape from what looked like certain relegation.

To task a football fan with maintaining a degree of rationality is never easy, particularly when their team is embroiled a negative trend of results. Even more so when that team is based in Portugal!

As many may know, football is lived at an intense rate in the home of the 2016 European Championship winners – a fixation that’s akin to the most obsessive of footballing nations around the globe. Fans of the sport have done especially well to remain connected, even through times of austerity, so it’s a relationship to be respected and admired.

Naturally, with little return but to see one’s team succeed above others, the mood around a football club can turn sour at an alarming pace. Many Portuguese outfits can vouch for that and Sporting are no exception to the rule.