Primeira Liga

Primeira Liga
Country Portugal
Confederation UEFA
Founded 1934
Number of teams 18
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to Segunda Liga
Domestic cup(s) Taça de Portugal
Supertaça
League cup(s) Taça da Liga
International cup(s) UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
Current champions Benfica (33rd title)
(2013–14)
Most championships Benfica (33 titles)
TV partners List of broadcasters
Website LPFP.pt
2014–15 Primeira Liga

The Primeira Liga (Portuguese: [pɾiˈmejɾɐ ˈliɣɐ]; English: First League), also known as Liga NOS for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system. It is organised and supervised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. As of the 2014–15 season, the Primeira Liga is contested by 18 teams, with the two lowest placed teams being relegated to the Segunda Liga and replaced by the top two non-reserve teams from this division.

Founded in 1934 as an experimental league, it was officialised in 1938 and named Primeira Divisão (First Division) until 1999, when it recovered the original naming. A total of 70 teams have competed in the Primeira Liga, but only five have been crowned champions. Among them, the "Big Three" – Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP – have won all but two Primeira Liga titles; the other winners are Belenenses (1945–46) and Boavista (2000–01). Benfica have won the Primeira Liga a record 33 times, followed by Porto with 27 and Sporting CP with 18 wins.

The Primeira Liga has increased its reputation in the last few years, currently occupying the 5th place of UEFA's league ranking. It broke into the top five for the first time in the 2011–12 season, passing the French Ligue 1, one of the historical "big five" European leagues, for the first time since 1990.[1] The Primeira Liga also reached a world ranking of 4th according to IFFHS's 2011 ranking.[2]

History

Before the Portuguese football reform of 1938, an experimental competition on a round-basis was already being held – the Primeira Liga (Premier League) and the winners of that competition were named "League champions". Despite that, a Championship of Portugal in a knock-out cup format was the most popular and defined the Portuguese champion, although the winners of this competition no longer count as Portuguese football champions.

Then, with the reform, a round-robin basis competition was implemented as the most important of the calendar and began defining the Portuguese champion. From 1938 to 1999, the name Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão (National Championship of the First Division) or just Primeira Divisão (First Division), was used.

Porto won the inaugural edition of the new league championship and successfully defended the title in the next season. In 1939–40 the tournament was expanded from 8 to 10 clubs, due to an administrative battle between Porto and Académico do Porto, regarding a Regional Championship game that ended with only 43 minutes after the start, and later repeated (which FC Porto won) according to Porto FA decision. FPF came out with a decision to satisfy both clubs, expanding the championship to 10 teams (one more from Porto FA and another from Setúbal FA) and annulling the result from the repetition match. With this decision, FC Porto lost the Regional title and finished in 3rd, Leixões SC became the new regional champion, while Académico was 2nd place. All 3 teams qualified for 1939–40 Primeira Divisão.[3]

In the 1941–42 season, it was decided to expand the championship from 8 to 10 teams to admit Braga FA and Algarve FA champions (until this season only the top teams from Porto, Coimbra, Lisboa and Setúbal were admitted).[4] Porto finished the regional championship in third place again, which did not grant entry into the Primeira Liga.[5] However, a second expand (from 10 to 12) in the same season was decided, which allowed the club to participate.[6]

After the 1945–46 season, the qualifying system based on regional championships was abandoned and adopted a pyramid system, with relegations and promotions between the 3 tiers. The clubs in Primeira Divisão, Segunda Divisão and Terceira Divisão no longer had to play their district championships on the same season as they had been doing since the first seasons of the Liga.[7]

When the Portuguese League for Professional Football took control of the two nationwide leagues in 1999, it was renamed Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Liga (Premier League National Championship), or simply Primeira Liga (Premier League).

"Big Three" since 2000
Season Benfica Porto Sporting
1999–2000 3 2 1
2000–01 6 2 3
2001–02 4 3 1
2002–03 2 1 3
2003–04 2 1 3
2004–05 1 2 3
2005–06 3 1 2
2006–07 3 1 2
2007–08 4 1 2
2008–09 3 1 2
2009–10 1 3 4
2010–11 2 1 3
2011–12 2 1 4
2012–13 2 1 7
2013–14 1 3 2

Big Three

Main article: Big Three (Portugal)

"The Big Three" (Portuguese: Os Três Grandes) is a nickname for the three most powerful sports clubs in Portugal. With the exception of Belenenses in 1945–46 and Boavista in 2000–01, only three clubs have won the Primeira Liga title – Benfica (thirty-three times), Porto (twenty-seven) and Sporting CP (eighteen times). These three clubs generally end up sharing the top three positions, appearing more frequently in UEFA competitions.

These clubs dominate Portuguese football, and it has become typical for fans to support any of these teams as a "first club", with a local team probably coming afterwards, if at all. The "Big Three" have the highest average attendance ratings every season in Portugal, while the other teams, lacking support from the locals (with the exception of Vitória de Guimarães and Braga, which are the next-most supported clubs), have suffered from poor attendance. The lack of support for local teams is considered to be one of the main reasons why Portuguese Football registers one of the worst attendance ratings in European Football's best championships, alongside the broadcast of almost all the games in television. In other sports, the rivalry between the big clubs is also considerable and it usually leads to arguments between the fans and players.

Benfica is the club with most Championship, Cup and League Cup titles, and the most Domestic titles won and the only to have won all Portuguese titles. Porto is the club with most Portuguese SuperCup and International titles won, as well as, the team with most titles won overall. Sporting CP holds the third place when it comes to the most Championships titles and Cup titles won. Benfica is the only Portuguese club to have won two consecutive European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, reaching ten European finals: seven European Cup and three UEFA Cup/Europa League, and finished runner-up in two Intercontinental Cup. Porto is the only Portuguese club since 1987 to have won any international competition (excluding the European Cup Winner's Cup, the UEFA Intertoto Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup), gathering a total of two European Cup/UEFA Champions League, two UEFA Cup/Europa League, one European Super Cup and two Intercontinental Cup and finished runner-up in one European Cup Winner's Cup and three UEFA Super Cup. Sporting CP won one European Cup Winner's Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Cup. Apart from the big three, Braga won the last UEFA Intertoto Cup and was runner-up in one UEFA Europa League.

Sponsored names

Galp Energia acquired the naming rights to the league in 2002, titling the division SuperLiga GalpEnergia. A four-year deal with the Austrian sports betting bwin was announced on 18 August 2005 amid questioning by the other gambling authorities in Portugal (the Santa Casa da Misericórdia and the Portuguese Casinos Association), who claimed to hold the exclusive rights to legal gambling games in Portuguese national territory. After holding the name Liga betandwin.com for the 2005–06 season, the name was changed to BWINLIGA in July 2006.[8][9]

From the 2008–09 season to the 2009–10 season the league was named Liga Sagres due to sponsorship from Sagres beer. In 2010, they renewed the sponsorship from Sagres, but also got the sponsorship from ZON Multimédia. The league was named Liga ZON Sagres until 2013–14 after the sponsorship agreement between Sagres, ZON (now NOS) and the league ended. Since 2015, it is known as Liga NOS.[10]

Sponsorship names for seasons

Competition

From the 2014–15 season on, there are 18 clubs in the Primeira Liga, up from 16 in the previous seasons. During the course of a season, each club plays all teams twice – once at their home stadium and once at their opponent's – for a total of 34 games. At the end of each season, the two lowest placed teams are relegated to the Segunda Liga and the top two teams from Segunda Liga are promoted to the Primeira Liga.

Current clubs in the Primeira Liga (2014–15)

Benfica
Sporting
Belenenses
Académica
Estoril
Rio Ave
Moreirense
Location of teams in Liga Zon Sagres 2014–15 (Mainland)
Location of teams in Liga Zon Sagres 2014–15 (Madeira)

Boavista has been invited back in the Primeira Liga, after the club won a legal battle that eventually deemed their forced relegation five years ago unlawful. The club therefore went straight from the third level to the top league.[11][12]

Team Home City Stadium Capacity 2013/14
Académica Coimbra Estádio Cidade de Coimbra 30,210 8th
Arouca Arouca Estádio Municipal de Arouca 5,000 12th
Belenenses Lisbon Estádio do Restelo 19,300 14th
Benfica Lisbon Estádio da Luz 65,647 1st
Boavista Porto Estádio do Bessa 28,263 4th in the North Zone in C.N.
Braga Braga Estádio Municipal de Braga 30,154 9th
Estoril Estoril Estádio António Coimbra da Mota 8,000[13] 4th
Gil Vicente Barcelos Estádio Cidade de Barcelos 12,504 13th
Marítimo Funchal Estádio dos Barreiros 9,177 6th
Moreirense Moreira de Cónegos Parque de Jogos Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas 6,100 1st in Segunda Liga
Nacional Funchal Estádio da Madeira 5,142 5th
Paços de Ferreira Paços de Ferreira Estádio da Mata Real 7,000[14] 15th and
Play-off Winner
Penafiel Penafiel Estádio Municipal 25 de Abril 7,000 3rd in Segunda Liga
Porto Porto Estádio do Dragão 52,002 3rd
Rio Ave Vila do Conde Estádio do Rio Ave 12,820 11th
Sporting Lisbon Estádio José Alvalade 52,466 2nd
Vitória de Guimarães Guimarães Estádio D. Afonso Henriques 30,146 10th
Vitória de Setúbal Setúbal Estádio do Bonfim 18,692 7th

Television

Portugal

Within Portugal, Sport TV broadcasts Primeira Liga matches (up to 6 matches per round), except Benfica home matches which are broadcast by Benfica TV.

International Broadcast

Official match ball

UEFA ranking

UEFA League Ranking at the end of the 2013–14 season: (Previous season (2012–13) rank in italics)[18]

  1. (1) Spain Spanish La Liga
  2. (2) England English Premier League
  3. (3) Germany German Bundesliga
  4. (4) Italy Italian Serie A
  5. (5) Portugal Portuguese Primeira Liga
  6. (6) France French Ligue 1
  7. (8) Russia Russian Premier League
  8. (9) Netherlands Dutch Eredivisie
  9. (7) Ukraine Ukrainian Premier League
  10. (11) Belgium Belgian Pro League
  11. (10) Turkey Turkish Süper Lig
  12. (12) Greece Superleague Greece
  13. (13) Switzerland Swiss Super League
  14. (16) Austria Austrian Bundesliga
  15. (17) Czech Republic Czech First League

(see UEFA coefficients full list for more information)

Attendance

Since the beginning of the league, there are three clubs with an attendance much higher than the others: Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP. They have also the biggest stadiums in Portugal, with more than 50,000 seats. Other clubs, such as Vitória de Guimarães and Braga, also have good attendances. Académica de Coimbra, Vitória de Setúbal, Boavista, Belenenses, and Marítimo are historical clubs, with more than 30 top-flight seasons, from the biggest Portuguese cities, and have also many supporters. However, they do not have big attendances nowadays. Their stadiums have between 10,000 and 30,000 seats.

The 2013–14 season saw an average attendance by club:[19]

Club Average Stadium
capacity		 Attendance(%) Accumulated Stadium
1Benfica43,61365,64767.47%654,194Estádio da Luz (Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica)
2Sporting CP33,70350,09567.35%505,539Estádio José Alvalade – Século XXI
3Porto28,68550,39956.88%430,278Estádio do Dragão
4V. Guimarães11,19430,16537.30%167,909Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
5Braga10,48430,28634.62%157,261Estádio Municipal de Braga
6Académica4,54130,21015.27%68,118Estádio Cidade de Coimbra
7Belenenses4,04719,85620.38%60,702Estádio do Restelo
8Gil Vicente4,02712,50433.47%60,412Estádio Cidade de Barcelos
9Arouca3,6605,00043.92%54,897Estádio Municipal de Arouca
10Marítimo3,5508,92270.00%53,248Estádio dos Barreiros
11Paços de Ferreira3,2487,00054.89%48,719Estádio da Mata Real
12V. Setúbal3,07718,69422.85%46,161Estádio do Bonfim
13Estoril Praia2,7758,00055.28%41,627Estádio António Coimbra da Mota
14Rio Ave2,33312,81525.74%35,000Estádio do Rio Ave FC
15Olhanense2,3155,66113.66%34,721Estádio José Arcanjo
16Nacional2,2125,13239.60%33,182Estádio da Madeira

List of champions and top scorers

ClubsPlayers
Season Champion Points Runner-up Points Third place Points Teams Rounds Points
/win		 Bota de Prata
(Top Scorer)		 Club Goals
Campeonato da Liga
  1934–35 Porto 22 Sporting CP 20 Benfica 19 8 14 2 pts Manuel Soeiro Sporting CP 14
  1935–36 Benfica21 Porto20 Sporting CP 16 8 14 2 pts Pinga Porto 21
  1936–37 Benfica (2)24 Belenenses23 Sporting CP 19 8 14 2 pts Manuel Soeiro Sporting CP 24
  1937–38 Benfica (3)23 Porto 23 Sporting CP 23 8 14 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo Sporting CP 34
Campeonato Nacional
  1938–39 Porto (2)23 Sporting CP 22 Benfica 21 8 14 2 pts Costuras Porto 18
  1939–40 Porto (3)34 Sporting CP 32 Belenenses25 10 18 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo
Slavko Kodrnja 		Sporting CP
Porto 		29
  1940–41 Sporting CP 23 Porto20 Belenenses19 8 14 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo Sporting CP 29
  1941–42 Benfica (4)38 Sporting CP 34 Belenenses30 12 22 2 pts Correia Dias Porto 36
  1942–43 Benfica (5)30 Sporting CP 29 Belenenses28 10 18 2 pts Julinho Benfica 24
  1943–44 Sporting CP (2) 31 Benfica26 Atlético CP 24 10 18 2 pts Francisco Rodrigues Vitória de Setúbal 28
  1944–45 Benfica (6)30 Sporting CP 27 Belenenses27 10 18 2 pts Francisco Rodrigues Vitória de Setúbal 21
  1945–46 Belenenses38 Benfica37 Sporting CP 32 12 22 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo Sporting CP 37
  1946–47 Sporting CP (3)47 Benfica41 Porto33 14 26 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo Sporting CP 43
  1947–48 Sporting CP (4)41 Benfica41 Belenenses37 14 26 2 pts António Araújo Porto 36
  1948–49 Sporting CP (5)42 Benfica37 Belenenses35 14 26 2 pts Fernando Peyroteo Sporting CP 40
  1949–50 Benfica (7)45 Sporting CP 39 Atlético CP 30 14 26 2 pts Julinho Benfica 29
  1950–51 Sporting CP (6)45 Porto34 Benfica30 14 26 2 pts Manuel Vasques Sporting CP 29
  1951–52 Sporting CP (7)41 Benfica40 Porto36 14 26 2 pts José Águas Benfica 28
  1952–53 Sporting CP (8)43 Benfica39 Belenenses36 14 26 2 pts Matateu Belenenses 29
  1953–54 Sporting CP (9)43 Porto36 Benfica32 14 26 2 pts João Martins Sporting CP 31
  1954–55 Benfica (8)39 Belenenses39 Sporting CP 37 14 26 2 pts Matateu Belenenses 32
  1955–56 Porto (4)43 Benfica43 Belenenses37 14 26 2 pts José Águas Benfica 28
  1956–57 Benfica (9)41 Porto 40 Belenenses33 14 26 2 pts José Águas Benfica 30
  1957–58 Sporting CP (10)43 Porto 43 Benfica36 14 26 2 pts Arsénio Duarte CUF 23
  1958–59 Porto (5)41 Benfica41 Belenenses38 14 26 2 pts José Águas Benfica 26
  1959–60 Benfica (10)45 Sporting CP 43 Belenenses36 14 26 2 pts Edmur Ribeiro Vitória de Guimarães 25
  1960–61 Benfica (11)46 Sporting CP 42 Porto 33 14 26 2 pts José Águas Benfica 27
  1961–62 Sporting CP (11)43 Porto 41 Benfica36 14 26 2 pts Veríssimo Porto 23
  1962–63 Benfica (12)48 Porto 42 Sporting CP 38 14 26 2 pts José Augusto Torres Benfica 26
  1963–64 Benfica (13)46 Porto40 Sporting CP 34 14 26 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 28
  1964–65 Benfica (14)43 Porto37 CUF Barreiro 35 14 26 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 28
  1965–66 Sporting CP (12)42 Benfica41 Porto34 14 26 2 pts Eusébio
Ernesto Figueiredo 		Benfica
Sporting CP 		25
  1966–67 Benfica (15)43 Académica de Coimbra40 Porto39 14 26 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 31
  1967–68 Benfica (16)41 Sporting CP 37 Porto36 14 26 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 43
  1968–69 Benfica (17)39 Porto 37 Vitória de Guimarães36 14 26 2 pts Manuel António Académica Coimbra 19
  1969–70 Sporting CP (13)46 Benfica38 Vitória de Setúbal36 14 26 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 20
  1970–71 Benfica (18)41 Sporting CP 38 Porto 37 14 26 2 pts Artur Jorge Benfica 23
  1971–72 Benfica (19)55 Vitória de Setúbal45 Sporting CP 43 16 30 2 pts Artur Jorge Benfica 27
  1972–73 Benfica (20)58 Belenenses40 Vitória de Setúbal38 16 30 2 pts Eusébio Benfica 40
  1973–74 Sporting CP (14)49 Benfica47 Vitória de Setúbal45 16 30 2 pts Héctor Yazalde Sporting CP 46
  1974–75 Benfica (21)49 Porto44 Sporting CP 43 16 30 2 pts Héctor Yazalde Sporting CP 30
  1975–76 Benfica (22)50 Boavista48 Belenenses40 16 30 2 pts Rui Jordão Benfica 30
  1976–77 Benfica (23)51 Sporting CP 42 Porto41 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes Porto 26
  1977–78 Porto (6)51 Benfica51 Sporting CP 42 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes Porto 25
  1978–79 Porto (7)50 Benfica49 Sporting CP 42 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes Porto 27
  1979–80 Sporting CP (15)52 Porto50 Benfica 45 16 30 2 pts Rui Jordão Sporting CP 31
  1980–81 Benfica (24)50 Porto48 Sporting CP 37 16 30 2 pts Nené Benfica 20
  1981–82 Sporting CP (16)46 Benfica44 Porto43 16 30 2 pts Jacques Pereira Porto 27
  1982–83 Benfica (25)51 Porto47 Sporting CP 42 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes Porto 36
  1983–84 Benfica (26)52 Porto 49 Sporting CP 42 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes
Nené 		Porto
Benfica 		21
  1984–85 Porto (8)55 Sporting CP 47 Benfica43 16 30 2 pts Fernando Gomes Porto 39
  1985–86 Porto (9)49 Benfica47 Sporting CP 46 16 30 2 pts Manuel Fernandes Sporting CP 30
  1986–87 Benfica (27)48 Porto46 Vitória de Guimarães 41 16 30 2 pts Paulinho Cascavel Vitória de Guimarães 22
  1987–88 Porto (10)66 Benfica51 Belenenses48 20 38 2 pts Paulinho Cascavel Sporting CP 23
  1988–89 Benfica (28)63 Porto56 Boavista49 20 38 2 pts Vata Benfica 16
  1989–90 Porto (11)59 Benfica55 Sporting CP 46 18 34 2 pts Mats Magnusson Benfica 33
  1990–91 Benfica (29)69 Porto67 Sporting CP 57 20 38 2 pts Rui Águas Benfica 25
  1991–92 Porto (12)56 Benfica46 Boavista44 18 34 2 pts Ricky Boavista 30
  1992–93 Porto (13)54 Benfica52 Sporting CP 45 18 34 2 pts Jorge Cadete Sporting CP 18
  1993–94 Benfica (30)54 Porto52 Sporting CP 51 18 34 2 pts Rashidi Yekini Vitória de Setúbal 21
  1994–95 Porto (14)62 Sporting CP 53 Benfica49 18 34 2 pts Hassan Nader Farense 21
  1995–96 Porto (15)84Benfica 73 Sporting CP 67 18 34 3 pts Domingos Paciência Porto 25
  1996–97 Porto (16)85 Sporting CP 72 Benfica58 18 34 3 pts Mário Jardel Porto 30
  1997–98 Porto (17)77 Benfica68 Vitória de Guimarães 59 18 34 3 pts Mário Jardel Porto 26
  1998–99 Porto (18)79 Boavista71 Benfica65 18 34 3 pts Mário Jardel Porto 36
Primeira Liga
  1999–00 Sporting CP (17)77 Porto 73 Benfica69 18 34 3 pts Mário Jardel Porto 37
  2000–01 Boavista77 Porto76 Sporting CP 62 18 34 3 pts Pena Porto 22
  2001–02 Sporting CP (18)75 Boavista70 Porto 68 18 34 3 pts Mário Jardel Sporting CP 42
  2002–03 Porto (19)86 Benfica75 Sporting CP 59 18 34 3 pts Fary FayeBeira-Mar 18
  2003–04 Porto (20)82 Benfica74 Sporting CP 73 18 34 3 pts Benni McCarthy Porto 20
  2004–05 Benfica (31)65 Porto62 Sporting CP 61 18 34 3 pts Liédson Sporting CP 25
  2005–06 Porto (21)79 Sporting CP 72 Benfica67 18 34 3 pts Albert Meyong Belenenses17
  2006–07 Porto (22)69 Sporting CP 68 Benfica67 16 30 3 pts Liédson Sporting CP 15
  2007–08 Porto (23)69(1) Sporting CP 55 Vitória de Guimarães 53 16 30 3 pts Lisandro López Porto 24
  2008–09 Porto (24)70 Sporting CP 66 Benfica59 16 30 3 pts Nenê Nacional 20
  2009–10 Benfica (32)76 Braga71 Porto 68 16 30 3 pts Óscar Cardozo Benfica 26
  2010–11 Porto (25)84 Benfica63 Sporting CP 48 16 30 3 pts Hulk Porto 23
  2011–12 Porto (26)75 Benfica69 Braga 62 16 30 3 pts Óscar Cardozo Benfica 20
  2012–13 Porto (27)78 Benfica77 Paços de Ferreira 54 16 30 3 pts Jackson Martínez Porto 26
  2013–14 Benfica (33)74 Sporting CP67 Porto 61 16 30 3 pts Jackson Martínez Porto 20

Performance by club

All Primeira Liga champions have come from either Lisbon or Porto.

Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years and Runner-Up Years
Benfica 33 27 1936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Porto 27 24 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
Sporting CP 18 20 1935, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014
Belenenses
1
3
 1937, 1946, 1955, 1973
Boavista
1
3
 1976, 1999, 2001, 2002
Académica de Coimbra –
1
 1967
Vitória de Setúbal –
1
 1972
Braga –
1
 2010

Primeira Liga all-time ranking

Last updated following the 2013–14 season

For comparison, older seasons have been calculated according to the three-points-per-win rule. Source up to end of 2004–05 season.[20]

# Club District S Pl. W D L Pts GF GA GD First Last Best classification Notes
1 Benfica Lisbon 81 2228 1507 429 292 4950 5383 2000 3383 1935 2015 1st (33 titles) Never relegated, present in all editions.
2 Porto Porto81 2228 1468 406 354 4804[21] 4952 2027 2925 1935 2015 1st (27 titles) Never relegated, present in all editions.
3 Sporting CP Lisbon 81 2228 1365 469 3944564 4894 2143 2751 1935 2015 1st (18 titles) Never relegated, present in all editions.
4 Belenenses Lisbon 74 2010837485688299332142553661 1935 2015 1st (1 title)
5 Vitória de Guimarães Braga 70 2018 780 477 761 2817 2847 2878-31 1942 2015 3rd
6 Vitória de Setúbal Setúbal 67 1868 649 443 776 2390 2608 2820 -212 1935 2015 2nd
7 Braga Braga 59 1752 644 424 684 2356 2305 2502 -197 1948 2015 2nd
8 Boavista Porto 52 1534 603 385 546 2194 2084 2131 -47 1936 2015 1st (1 title)
9 Académica de Coimbra Coimbra 63 1636 507 360 769 1881 22882897-609 1935 2015 2nd
10 Marítimo Madeira 35 1108 377 315 416 144612521372-120 1978 2015 5th
11 Beira-Mar Aveiro 27 858 218 242 398 896 883 1340-457 1962 2013 6th
12 Farense Faro 23 754 222 191 341 857 796 1093 -297 1971 2002 5th
13 Salgueiros Porto 24 740 197 183 360 774 804 1377 -573 1944 2002 5th Ended football team in 2005.
14 CUF do Barreiro Setúbal 23 610 207 148 255 769 829 1004 -175 1943 1976 3rd Renamed Fabril do Barreiro in 2000.
15 Estoril Praia Lisbon 23 636 199 160 277 757 901 1031 -130 1945 2015 4th
16 Rio Ave Porto 21 636 181 181274724 630 853 -223 1980 2015 5th
17 Leixões Porto 25 670 183 164 323 713 750 1186 -436 1937 2010 5th
18 União de Leiria Leiria 18 584 184 159 241 711 620 771 -151 1980 2012 5th
19 Atlético CP Lisbon 24 632 192 134 306 710 976 1285 -309 1944 1977 3rd
20 Varzim Porto 21 618 169 176 273 683 638 913 -275 1964 2003 5th
21 Nacional Madeira 16 486 170 133 183 643 600 625 -25 1989 2015 4th
22 Gil Vicente Braga 18 570 165 144 261 639 576 779 -203 1991 2015 5th
23 Barreirense Setúbal 24 592 166 119 307 617 758 1195 -437 1938 1979 4th
24 Estrela da Amadora Lisbon 16 540 144 176 220 608 521 680 -159 1989 2009 7th Ended football team in 2010, folded in 2011.
25 Paços de Ferreira Porto 17 512 153 149210 608 527 675 -148 1992 2015 3rd
26 Olhanense Faro 20 516 147 124 245 565800 1057 -257 1942 2014 4th
27 Portimonense Faro 14 440 140 108 192 528 460 576 -116 1977 2011 5th
28 Chaves Vila Real 13 446 131 123 192 516 492 619 -127 1986 1999 5th
29 Sporting da Covilhã Castelo Branco 15 406 126 79 201 457 585 834 -249 1949 1988 5th
30 Penafiel Porto 14 400101110189413322556-234 1981 2015 10th
31 Lusitano de Évora Évora 14 364 116 64 184 412 494 722 -228 1953 1966 5th
32 Sporting de Espinho Aveiro 11 354 96 91 167 379 336 523 -187 1975 1997 7th
33 Tirsense Porto 8 256 65 73 118 268 219 370 -151 1968 1996 8th
34 Famalicão Braga 6 196 5348 95 207 205 346 -141 1947 1994 13th
35 Naval 1º de Maio Coimbra 6 184 49 46 89 193 160 257-97 2006 2011 8th
36 Oriental Lisbon 7 190 5037 103187224438-214 1951 1975 5th
37 Alverca Lisbon 5 170 48 37 85 181 192 266 -74 1999 2004 11th
38 Campomaiorense Portalegre 5 170 48 34 88 178 186 287 -101 1996 2001 11th Ended football team in 2013.
39 União da Madeira Madeira 5 174 41 54 79 177 150 250 -100 1990 1995 10th
40 Torreense Lisbon 6 164 44 31 89 163 183 316 -133 1956 1992 7th
41 União de Tomar Santarém 6 172 43 33 96 162 178 331 -153 1969 1976 10th
42 O Elvas Portalegre 5 146 37 37 72 148 211 283 -72 1948 1988 8th Ended football team in 2014.
43 Moreirense Braga 5 132 33 44 55 143 135 173 -38 2003 2015 9th
44 Leça Porto 4 124 33 25 66 124 120 231 -111 1942 1998 12th
45 Académico de Viseu Viseu 4 128 27 24 77 105 81 237 -156 1979 1989 13th
46 Caldas Leiria 4 104 26 25 53 103 124 235 -111 1956 1959 10th
47 Santa Clara Ponta Delgada 3 102 24 31 47 103 106 150 -44 2000 2003 14th
48 Montijo Setúbal 3 90 23 20 47 89 91 155 -64 1973 1977 13th Folded in 2007.
49 Amora Setúbal 3 90 22 23 45 89 90 143 -53 1981 1983 12th
50 Feirense Aveiro 4 120 18 22 80 76 97 245 -148 1963 2012 14th
51 Desportivo das Aves Porto 3 9416 25 53 73 78 152 -74 1986 2007 13th
52 Lusitano de VRSA Faro 3 78 21 9 48 72 94 210 -116 1948 1950 12th
53 Sanjoanense Aveiro 4 104 16 22 66 70 86 249 -163 1947 1969 10th
54 Carcavelinhos Lisbon 5 82 19 12 51 69 103 223 -120 1936 1942 4th Merged to form Atlético in 1942.
55 Unidos de Lisboa Lisbon 3 54 18 8 28 62 1511456 1941 1943 4th Ended football team in 2009.
56 Académico do Porto Porto 5 82 18 6 5860 137 300 -163 1935 1942 7th Ended football team in 1964.
57 SL Elvas Portalegre 2 48 17 3 28 54 108 167 -59 1946 1947 9th Merged to form O Elvas in 1947.
58 Fafe Braga 1 38 9 14 15 41 29 47 -18 1989 1989 16th
59 Felgueiras Porto 1 34 8 9 17 33 29 47 -18 1996 1996 16th Folded in 2005.
60 Arouca Aveiro 2 30 8 7 15 31 28 42 -14 2014 2015 12th Never relegated.
61 Seixal Setúbal 2 52 7 8 37 29 44 150 -106 1964 1965 12th Ended football team in 2007.
62 Riopele Braga 1 30 6 9 15 27 23 51 -28 1978 1978 15th Folded in 1984.
63 Águeda Aveiro 1 30 7 5 18 26 25 55 -30 1984 1984 15th
64 Trofense Porto 1 30 5 8 17 23 25 42 -17 2009 2009 16th
65 União de Coimbra Coimbra 1 30 5 7 18 22 22 54 -32 1973 1973 15th Ended football team in 2009.
66 Alcobaça Leiria 1 30 4 7 19 19 20 56 -36 1983 1983 16th
67 Vizela Braga 1 30 4 7 19 19 31 71 -40 1985 1985 16th
68 União de Lisboa Lisbon 1 14 3 2 9 11 30 49 -19 1935 1935 6th Merged to form Atlético in 1942.
69 Oliveirense Aveiro 1 22 3 2 17 11 22 73 -51 1946 1946 12th
70 Casa Pia Lisbon 1 14 1 0 13 3 12 56 -44 1938 1938 8th
Competing in Primeira Liga
Competing in Segunda Liga
Competing below Segunda Liga
Not competing (See Notes)

For standardisation purposes, a win is worth three points for all clubs.

Records


Top ten goalscorers
Player Period Club Goals
1 Fernando Peyroteo 1937–1950 Sporting CP 331 (1.68/game)
2 Eusébio 1960–1977 Benfica, Beira-Mar 319 (1.02/game)
3 Fernando Gomes 1974–1991 Porto, Sporting CP 318 (0.79/game)
4 José Águas 1950–1963 Benfica 290 (1.03/game)
5 Nené 1968–1986 Benfica 262 (0.62/game)
6 Manuel Fernandes 1970–1988 CUF, Sporting CP, Vitória de Setúbal 243 (0.50/game)
7 Matateu 1951–1967 Belenenses, Atlético de Lisboa 218 (0.75/game)
8 José Torres 1959–1980 Benfica, Vitória de Setúbal, Estoril-Praia 217 (0.57/game)
9 Rui Jordão 1971–1989 Benfica, Sporting CP, Vitória de Setúbal 215 (0.60/game)
10 Arsénio Duarte 1943–1959 Benfica, CUF 211 (0.67/game)

Other records

See also

References

External links