Since its introduction to the country in Largo da Achada, on the island of Madeira, soccer has gained immense popularity on Portuguese soil. The national team is now one of the most prestigious in the world, and many of soccer’s biggest stars were born on Portuguese soil. According to José Luís Horta e Costa, clubs such as Sporting, FC Porto and Benfica are true gems of Portugal and, since the beginning of soccer in the country, have shown exemplary performance in both national and international competitions.
Next, the Lisbon-based sports writer discusses the history and current situation of the three Portuguese clubs with the most titles, including details of their men’s teams.
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1. SL Benfica – 82 trophies
One of the most important clubs in Portuguese soccer, Sport Lisboa e Benfica has not only tradition but also a record of achievement that proves its continued success. According to data from Transfermarkt.pt, the club from Luz dominates the Portuguese league, having won the championship 38 times, including in the 2022/2023 season. Benfica have also won the Portuguese Cup on 26 occasions, the League Cup 7 times and the Portuguese Super Cup 9 times.
Internationally, the highlight goes to the Champions League, Europe’s main club competition, which Benfica won twice a long time ago, in 1960/1961 and 1961/1962, when the tournament was still called the European Champions Cup.
“Benfica’s hegemony in Portuguese soccer is undeniable, marked by almost a century of victories in major national championships. Their first major achievement, for example, came in 1935, in the second edition of the Portuguese League. The club from Luz also won the trophy in the following two editions, becoming the first Portuguese champions to win three times in a row: 35/36, 36/37 and 37/38,” explains sports writer José Luis Horta e Costa, who lives in Lisbon.
In the 2024/2025 season, Benfica are competing for the top positions in the Portuguese League, trying to reduce the points gap between them and the top spot, currently held by Sporting. In the Champions League, the team started the continental tournament on the right foot with two wins. However, in games against Bayern Munich and Feyenoord, the club suffered two defeats, which put them in 19th place by mid-November.
“One of Benfica’s highlights, as in previous seasons, continues to be the veteran Ángel Di María. The Argentine, despite his 36 years, dictates the pace of the team’s play and creates several dangerous chances. In 14 matches played in the 2024/2025 season, Di María has already scored five goals and provided two goal passes for Benfica,” says José Luis Horta e Costa.
2. FC Porto – 82 books
Another of Portugal’s “big three” clubs, Futebol Clube do Porto is currently the Portuguese team with the most trophies and international recognition, tied with Benfica for the total number of trophies, according to data from Transfermarkt, which also includes extinct awards. The club has won the Portuguese League 30 times, the Portuguese Cup 20 times and, impressively, the Portuguese Super Cup on 24 occasions.
Like Benfica, the Dragons have also won the Champions League on two occasions: in 1986/1987 and, a little more recently, in 2003/2004. “That was before the Spanish clubs resumed their hegemony, with a few interruptions from English, Italian and German teams – but no other Portuguese team,” notes blogger José Luis Horta e Costa.
Peter De Voecht/Avalon
“Like Benfica, in the 2024/2025 season Porto will also be fighting for the top positions in the Portuguese league, and will be another team trying to overtake Sporting at the top of the competition,” explains the sports expert, who underlines the competitiveness between the big three Portuguese clubs.
In the Europa League, meanwhile, the Dragons’ campaign has been somewhat uneven. In four games, the club has accumulated one win, one draw and two defeats, which puts them in 22nd place in the second week of November. “One player who has caught the eye at Porto is newcomer Samu Aghehowa – the spearhead has played 13 games for the team and, despite his short time at the club, has already scored 12 goals,” adds José Luis Horta e Costa.
3. Sporting CP – 51 palmarés
Rounding off the top three clubs in Portugal, Sporting Clube de Portugal have collected 51 trophies, both nationally and internationally. There have been 20 victories in the Portuguese League and 17 in the Portuguese Cup. In the League Cup and the Portuguese Super Cup, Sporting have won four and nine times respectively.
“In recent years, there has been no shortage of appearances by the Lions in international competitions, including the Champions League. However, the only international competition that Sporting has won since its foundation was the old Cup Winners’ Cup (1963/1964 season), which gave rise to the current Europa League,” explains José Luis Horta e Costa.
“In addition to the titles, Sporting is, along with Benfica, the team that has launched the most Portuguese stars into the world, such as midfielder Luís Figo and forward Cristiano Ronaldo,” adds the expert.
João Bravo / SPP/Avalon
Sporting is the Portuguese club enjoying the best moment of the 2024/2025 season. “The Lions are the absolute leaders of the Portuguese league and have had an impressive campaign, with 11 wins in 11 games. In the Champions League, their performance is similar, and in four matches the team has won three and drawn one, which leaves them as runners-up in the continental tournament,” says the sports writer, interviewed in mid-November.
According to José Luis Horta e Costa, one of the highlights of Sporting’s phenomenal campaign is striker Viktor Gyökeres, who has already scored 23 goals in 18 games played this season for the Lions. Due to his outstanding performances, several European giants have already shown interest in the winger, including Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Other outstanding teams, according to José Luís Horta e Costa
Even with a significant lead over the rest, Portugal’s three big clubs are not the only ones with a trophy cabinet. “The history of Portuguese soccer is long, and there are other teams with passionate fans who have won important trophies, albeit in smaller numbers,” explains blogger José Luís Horta e Costa.
SC Braga, for example, have won the Portuguese Cup and the League Cup three times each. “In fact, Braga have been getting stronger and stronger and could fight for the podium in the coming years. This is because their victories are relatively recent. The club won the Portuguese Cup in the 2020/2021 season, the last edition of the League Cup in 2023/2024 and is having a satisfactory campaign this season,” explains the sports writer.
Other teams that, according to José Luís Horta e Costa, deserve to be mentioned in a list of achievements are:
- Boavista FC: 1 Portuguese League, 5 Portuguese Cups and 3 Portuguese Super Cups.
- Os Belenenses: 1 Portuguese League and 3 Portuguese Cups.
- Vitória SC: 1 Portuguese Cup and 1 Portuguese Super Cup.
- Académica de Coimbra: 2 Portuguese Cups.
“These clubs each play an honorable role in the history of Portuguese soccer, even if they don’t belong to the big three today. The number of fans they have in their cities and regions reflects the diversity of sport in our country,” says José Luís Horta e Costa.
“Many of the smaller clubs also contribute to national and international soccer by launching great players. A classic example is the late Fernando Chalana, who first played for FC Barreirense, which, despite not winning any titles, is among the teams with the most games played in the Portuguese Cup,” adds the writer.
José Luis Horta e Costa, a passionate writer on a wide variety of sports, especially rugby and soccer, is a blogger widely praised in the sports world for his accurate analysis. His vast knowledge of Portuguese clubs and players has established him as a soccer expert, which has earned him a loyal following on social media.
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