Apr 19

Apr 19 Top 10 Portuguese Players to Play in the Premier League

Chris Magee

Opinion

The Premier League’s Best Portuguese Players Ever

There has been an abundance of Portuguese exports to the Premier League since its inauguration in 1992!

Chris Magee counts down the top 10 greatest Portuguese players to ever play for the Premier League - who will be number one?

bernardo silva football player — Bernardo Silva: one of the greatest Portuguese players to play for the Premier League

From footballers who have been crucial in title victories to some of the greatest players to ever grace a football pitch, Portuguese players are some of the best.

In fact, many of the players on this list helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 best Portuguese players to play in the Premier League.

10. Joao Cancelo

First started out in Benfica’s youth academy
He’s won three Premier League titles with Manchester City
He helped Manchester reach their first UEFA Champions League final

The versatile fullback has been a revelation for Pep Guardiola’s side. Playing as an inverted fullback, he has provided endless creativity, as well as cover for the advanced midfielders for Manchester City.

Joao Cancelo has won three Premier League titles with Manchester, recording 11 assists. In the 2020-21 season, he was instrumental in helping City reach the Champions League final.

9. Joao Moutinho

He joined the Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018, playing 212 games
He represented Portugal in two FIFA World Cups
He competed in four European Championships

Joining the Wolves in his 30s, the midfield orchestrator adapted instantly and has been vital for the Midlands under two different managers.

He joined the Premier League late in his career and yet he’s still making a huge impact on the game.

He also represented his country at four European Championships, one UEFA Nations League final and two FIFA World Cups.

8. Diogo Jota

He started out with Pacos de Ferreira
He scored 16 goals over two seasons with the Wolves
He joined Liverpool for £40 million in 2020

Jota initially joined the Wolves in the Premier League, where he impressed fans by scoring 16 goals over two seasons.

However, he has significantly improved his game since Jurgen Klopp added him to his Liverpool side for £40 million.

He scored his first 24 goals for Liverpool in over 1000 minutes less than he played for the Wanderers. Jota truly is one of the greatest Portuguese players in the Premier League!

7. Luis Boa Morte

The first Portuguese player to win the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998
He recorded 29 goals in his Premier League career
First-team coach at Fulham

Luis Boa Morte is often deployed in the front line or as a forward-thinking midfielder - and he provided goals for all of his clubs.

The Fulham assistant manager is a legend of the club, but one of his most impressive achievements was becoming the first Portuguese player to win the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998.

Boa Morte recorded 29 goals in his Premier League career.

6. Bruno Fernandes

Player and captain for Manchester United
He appeared in the PFA Team of the Year in 2021
He scored 26 Premier League goals over his first three seasons for United

Despite experiencing a dip in form in the 2021-22 season, Bruno has been crucial for Manchester United ever since making the move from Sporting Club.

His goalscoring record from midfield is nothing short of sensational. The 29-year-old recorded 36 Premier League goals over his first three seasons for United.

Half of these goals were scored in the 2020/21 season and earned him an appearance in the PFA Team of the Year in 2021.

5. Paulo Ferreira

He won three Premier League trophies
He represented Chelsea’s defence in the 2004/05 season
Assistant coach for Lille

Ferreira followed Jose Mourinho from Porto, where he won the UEFA Champions League with the legendary coach.

Paulo was ever reliable for Mourinho’s Chelsea. He’s an exquisite defender and he won three Premier League trophies.

Paulo was a part of the exceptional Chelsea defence in 2004/05. Now, he coaches at French Ligue 1 club Lille.

4. Nani

He won four Premier League titles at Manchester United
He earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year in 2011
He played for Portugal in the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Nani was a magician on the football pitch. He was explosive and skilful from either wing!

Due to inconsistency in his game, Nani failed to reach his true potential. Nevertheless, he won four Premier League titles in seven years at Old Trafford and earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year in 2011.

Nani also represented his country in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. There’s no doubt that Nani is a Portuguese great of the league.

3. Bernardo Silva

Four-time Premier League winner
Manchester City’s Player of the Year in 2019
Considered one of the best midfielders in the world!

Silva’s skill on the wing was phenomenal for Guardiola, and he boasts exceptional technical ability regarding his close control dribbling, passing and press resistance.

The four-time Premier League winner was Manchester City’s Player of the Year in his 2nd title win in 2019.

2. Ricardo Carvalho

He began his career at Porto
He represented his country in two FIFA World Cups
In 2004/05, Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry shipped just 15 goals in 38 games: a Premier League record

One of the best defenders to ever play in the Premier League, Carvalho was a vital asset to Mourinho’s Chelsea team.

In 2004/05, a partnership between Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry shipped just 15 goals in 38 games, which remains a Premier League record to this day.

Carvalho complimented the English defender perfectly, as he brought composure and exceptional reading of the game to proactively defend.

The player also represented Portugal in two FIFA World Cups.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

He won the Premier League from 2007 to 2009
He won his first Ballon d’Or in the 2007/08 season
He’s represented Portugal in the FIFA World Cup four times

Cristiano Ronaldo is perhaps the greatest player of all-time, besides Lionel Messi. A young Ronaldo fresh from Lisbon lit up the Premier League, winning the competition three years in a row, from 2007 to 2009.

In 2007/08, he recorded his best season in a Manchester United shirt, winning the Champions League and going on to win the first Ballon d’Or of his career.

Ronaldo rejoined the Premier League at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

This has cemented his place as the greatest-ever Portuguese player to play in the top tier of English football - and one of Manchester United’s greatest-ever players.