Portugal national football team (Selecao da Quinas)

Although often dubbed the Brazil of Europe, it hasn’t been until more recent times that Portugal have performed at a consistently high standard on the international stage.

It was Lisbon’s English residents who brought the game to the country in the 1870s before the Uniao Portuguesa de Futebol (Portuguese FA) was formed in 1914 and their first international played in 1921. Inspired by Benfica’s success in the European Cup, it was in the 1960s when Portugal came to prominence.

Led by the legendary Eusebio, they made their World Cup debut in England in 1966. It looked like they would be victims of one of the greatest shocks in the competition’s history when they trailed to minnows North Korea but recovered and were unfortunate to lose to the hosts at Wembley in the semi-finals.

Their ‘golden generation,’ which included Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Joao Pinto, were quarter-finalists at Euro 96 and semi-finalists at Euro 2000.

After a disappointing tournament at the World Cup in 2002, as hosts of Euro 2004, Portugal reached the final only to be beaten by unfancied Greece.

A second World Cup semi-final placing was achieved in 2006 in Germany before reaching the last eight in Euro 2008.

Portugal were among the favourites for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but a 19-match unbeaten run came to an end when they faced Spain in the first knockout round.