'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMumhXf/xAAcEAACAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRAAQhURP/2gAIAQEAAT8AbX2odkyTRKyLIkHyD8UVxbN9HuNCCxNDvrsTn//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAMv/aAAgBAgEBPwB2l//EABgRAQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAANR/9oACAEDAQE/AKQ0xQdz/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Portugal will be heading to their eighth World Cup when they travel to Qatar in November. Only since 2002 has the country become a regular participant in the competition, only managing to qualify twice before that.
Portugal's best finish at the World Cup came in 1966 when they finished third, and it was also their debut appearance in the competition.
As the game has grown and expanded, Portugal has developed more world-class players, and one of the best players ever is also Portuguese. Mentioned below are the country's top five goalscorers of all time. These players have played for some of the best teams in Europe and have had glorious careers in the sport.
Trending
#5 Nuno Gomes - 29 goals
Nuno Gomes made 79 appearances for Portugal and spent most of his career playing for Benfica. With Portugal, he came close to winning the Euros on a couple of occasions, but the country failed to get over the line. He began his career at Boavista before signing for Benfica in 1997. He moved to Fiorentina in 2000 but was back at Benfica in 2002 and spent nine years at the club.
Nuno Gomes won it all with Benfica and even managed to spend a season at Blackburn Rovers before retiring from the game in 2013. Gomes was always appreciated by the country's fans for making an impact at international tournaments, especially the Euros.
He was part of the golden generation of Portuguese footballers and arguably should have won a trophy or two with the national team.
#4 Luís Figo - 32 goals
Luís Figo made 127 appearances for Portugal, before Cristiano Ronaldo, he was the country's best player. Figo captained the team to the Euro final in 2004, but they lost to Greece, which was a bitter blow for the host nation. Domestically, he had an amazing career that began at Sporting Lisbon and followed it up with mmoves to Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan.
Figo won it all during his career, and his move from Barcelona to Real Madrid was one of the most controversial transfers of all time. Figo was more of a winger than a striker, but his leadership and tenacity on the pitch made him stand out. He had great skill with the ball and possessed a brilliant shot. He has held various administrative posts since retiring and is highly regarded by all.
#3 Eusébio - 41 goals
Eusébio made 64 appearances for Portugal and was the main star of the team that finished third during the 1966 World Cup. He was the first real global star for Portugal in football and spent 14 years at Benfica. He won several league titles and a European Cup and was a major fixture in European football. He won the Ballon d'Or in 1965, during the peak of his career.
Eusébio spent the final five years of his career in North America playing for various clubs, but the legacy he left behind solidified him as a star of the sport. Eusébio could have played for the biggest clubs in Europe, but he made Benfica a European powerhouse and was a one-club man. He scored 727 goals in 715 appearances for Benfica, which is an astonishing feat.
#2 Pauleta - 47 goals
Pauleta made 88 appearances for Portugal and came close to winning the Euros with the team in 2004. He won La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna in 2000 but spent most of his career in France with Bordeaux and Paris Saint Germain. Pauleta failed to win a Ligue 1 title with either club and left PSG in 2008. He was a clinical striker in his prime with the usual traits of pace, power, and precision.
Pauleta had the opportunity to sign for Olympique Lyonnais, who were the dominant team in France at the time, but he chose to stay in Paris. He helped PSG win some domestic cups and kept them punching above their weight during a period when they struggled to compete. He could have done more for Portugal, but in France, he is well respected.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - 117 goals (Portugal's top scorer)
Cristiano Ronaldo has made 191 appearances for his country, and is still a key member of the national team at 37. It is likely Ronaldo will play in his final World Cup in November, but he has opportunities to increase his lead at the top. Ronaldo was a young player at Euro 2004, but he helped Portugal win the Euros in 2016 and the Nations League in 2019.
Along with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo is in a separate tier as the two best players to have ever played the game. Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner and has won titles at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. The last few seasons have shown signs that even Ronaldo is human, but he is still a lethal striker within the box, and he will look to make an impact in Qatar.
