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Portugal have grown as a footballing nation over the years, with their progress being awarded by success at Euro 2016.
The current Portugal side are seen among the favorites to win Euro 2020, a sign of how far they have come. Cristiano Ronaldo has played a huge role over the years and has been ably supported by a talented group of players, each contributing in their own way.
Portugal has produced some world-class footballers over the years, some of whom have become the greatest players to have played the game.
We look at the 5 best Portuguese players of all time.
#5 Ricardo Carvalho
One of Portugal's best defenders, Ricardo Carvalho, enjoyed a stellar career for both club and country.
Having made his name with Jose Mourinho's Porto, Carvalho reunited with the Portuguese manager at Chelsea, where he made 210 appearances in all competitions and formed an iron-tight centre-back partnership with John Terry. The Portugal international was renowned for his reading of the game, with his composure often proving to be important.
For Portugal, Carvalho accumulated 89 caps, and was part of the squad which won the Euros in 2016. The 43-year old retired in 2017 after a short stint with Shanghai SIPG. Carvalho recently spent time as the assistant manager of French club Marseille.
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#4 Pepe
Born in Brazil, Pepe's impact has been huge for Portugal and for the various clubs he has represented over the years.
The 38-year old, currently in his second stint at Porto, has made 334 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid, and was regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the world during his prime. An aggressive player, Pepe's career has not been short of controversy due to his style of play, deemed violent by many.
The former Besiktas man is part of Portugal's Euro 2020 squad and is likely to start alongside Ruben Dias. Pepe has 115 caps for the Portugal national team and played a pivotal role when they won the Euros in 2016.
#3 Luis Figo
While Luis Figo's controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000 dominates the discussion around his career, there is no denying that he is one of Portugal's all-time greats.
Figo began his career with Sporting CP, joining Barcelona in 1995. Here the Portugal international made 248 appearances in all competitions, scoring 45 goals and providing 51 assists and establishing himself as one of the best in the world. An elegant player with strong technical abilities, Figo was capable of playing anywhere across the forward line.
For Portugal, Figo made 127 appearances and scored 32 goals. Figo and Portugal reached the finals of Euro 2004 but surprisingly lost to Greece. The 48-year old retired in 2009 after a successful spell with Inter Milan.
#2 Eusebio
Regarded by many as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Eusebio was a highly-prolific goalscorer who became one of the most recognizable faces in the world during his prime.
Eusebio spent much of his career with Benfica, and is seen as the club's greatest player. He made 440 appearances in all competitions and scored 473 goals, and won 11 Primeira Liga titles with the Portuguese giants.
The striker was phenomenal for Portugal as well. In 64 caps for the senior side, Eusebio scored 41 goals and helped Portugal finish 3rd in 1966 World Cup. He was the top goalscorer in that tournament.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal's greatest footballer and one of the greatest to have played the game, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to break records on a consistent basis.
The 36-year old is still going strong and comes to Euro 2020 on the back of a brilliant individual campaign with Juventus. Ronaldo scored 29 goals in 33 league games for Juventus, but Andrea Pirlo's side finished a disappointing fourth in the league table.
Ronaldo is well and truly a legend of Portugal, and cemented his position by winning the Euro 2016. Portugal are among the favorites to win the tournament this time around, and Ronaldo will certainly have a huge say on how they end up performing. He is Portugal's most capped player and all-time top goalscorer.
Also Read: Copa America 2021: 5 surprise contenders for Player of the Tournament
