Eusébio’s Portugal, that is Portugal before Cristiano Ronaldo

In world football, many people know the Portuguese national team today through the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Since Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded by the football world as the best footballer of the 21st century, it is not wrong that the current generation is familiar with Portugal as the team he plays for. But the current generation and future generations need to know a few more things about the Portugal national team.

That means the Portugal national football team doesn’t just mean Cristiano Ronaldo. If we look at the World Cup football history, Portugal has participated in 7 World Cups so far. Portugal’s best run was at the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England. Although Portugal lost to England in the semi-finals that day, Portugal defeated the Soviet Union in the third-place play-off to finish third in England’s World Cup.

At that time, Mario Coluna was the captain of the Portugal national team. Portugal’s squad for the 1966 World Cup included key players such as Eusébio, Hilário, João Morais, Custodio Pinto and Alexandre Baptista. Brazilian coach Otto Gloria was the coach of Portugal national team. Portugal’s Eusébio was the top scorer in the 1966 World Cup with 9 goals.

However, if you ask if Portugal can repeat this feat in another World Cup, Portugal’s best subsequent World Cup run is fourth place at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. That day Portugal lost to Zidane’s France in the semi-finals and were also beaten by Germany in the third-place match. But in the later World Cups, Portugal was limited to the personal impact of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. But in the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, a great team is going to line up for Portugal.