5 days Ago By Callum Altimas
The Premier League has been blessed with an exciting crop of talent from a variety of different countries since its formation in 1992. A host of excellent Spaniards , Germans and Italians have showcased their talents in England's top flight in recent decades. Another nation that's been well represented in the English game is Portugal.
Over the years, plenty of impressive Portuguese stars have shone in the Premier League, with many starring for the division's biggest teams including Manchester United and Chelsea. One of the best players of all-time, Cristiano Ronaldo , hails from Portugal and spent some of his illustrious career in England, but how does he compare with his compatriots? Let's take a look at the 20 best Portuguese players in Premier League history. 20 Best Portuguese players in Premier League history Rank Player Club(s) 1 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United 2 Ricardo Carvalho Chelsea 3 Bernardo Silva Manchester City 4 Bruno Fernandes Manchester United 5 Nani Manchester United 6 Ruben Dias Manchester City 7 Paulo Ferreira Chelsea 8 Luis Boa Morte Arsenal, Southampton, Fulham & West Ham United 9 Diogo Jota Wolverhampton Wanderers & Liverpool 10 Ruben Neves Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 Jose Fonte Southampton & West Ham United 12 Joao Moutinho Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 Joao Cancelo Manchester City 14 Rui Patricio Wolverhampton Wanderers 15 Pedro Neto Wolverhampton Wanderers & Chelsea 16 Deco Chelsea 17 Pedro Mendes Tottenham Hotspur & Portsmouth 18 Ricardo Pereira Leicester City 19 Jose Bosingwa Chelsea & QPR 20 Jose Sa Wolverhampton Wanderers 10 Ruben Neves Throughout his run in the Premier League, Ruben Neves was continuously linked with moves to some of the division's biggest sides, such as Arsenal - and that's a testament to how good he was.
Still, he remained with Wolverhampton Wanderers throughout the entirety of his time in England and is one of the side's greatest ever Premier League players. Helping them rise up from the second tier, the midfielder was a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park for the Midlands-based team. His ability to shine both driving forwards and defensively made him a key figure at Molineux.
Few could pass a ball like Neves and, if he hadn't moved to the Saudi Pro League at just 26 years old, he might have climbed higher up this list. The top 10 wonderkids in world football were named in 2016, but where are they now? 9 Diogo Jota Another former Wolves player that hails from Portugal, Diogo Jota has only taken his game to higher heights since moving to Liverpool in 2020. He was an instant hit at Anfield and his knack for popping up with a goal at the most crucial of times for the Reds has made him a huge fan favourite on Merseyside.
Jota has scored at least 13 times in three of his four seasons for the Reds and his consistency has ensured he's kept a regular spot in the team under new manager Arne Slot. With over 70 goals in the English top flight already, it's easy to forget that the forward is still only 27 years old and still has plenty more to offer. 8 Luis Boa Morte Modern fans might not be all too aware of Luis Boa Morte, but there's a reason four different Premier League clubs wanted to sign him during his career.
Getting his start in England with Arsenal , the winger spent time with the Gunners, Southampton, Fulham and West Ham United over the course of 13 seasons in the top flight. The current Guinea-Bissau manager loved taking on defenders and would regularly get past them with ease on the flanks. He was a cult hero for Fulham during his time at Craven Cottage, but managed to endear himself to the fans at the majority of his teams and ultimately played just under 300 games in the Premier League.
7 Paulo Ferreira Towards the end of his time at Stamford Bridge, Paulo Ferreira was more of a role player, but his initial arrival at Chelsea sparked a period of change for the club. Signed from Porto in 2004, the full-back settled in quite nicely in London and was a key figure in Jose Mourinho's side winning their first league title in 50 years. Injuries may have hindered his role at times, but throughout his first few campaigns with Chelsea , there were very few right-backs in the world better than Ferreira.
He ultimately spent nine years with the Blues, playing just under 150 games in the league with the team before he retired. It is safe to say that Chelsea have had their fair share of top-quality right-backs throughout their history. This article looks at the best nine.
6 Ruben Dias Viewed as the missing piece in Manchester City's backline, Ruben Dias's arrival at the Etihad in 2020 kickstarted a period of dominance at the top of the Premier League for Pep Guardiola's men and that's no coincidence. The centre-back has lifted the league title in each of his four seasons in England. That's a testament to the colossal impact he's had on City defensively and he's still improving.
Dias won the PFA Player of the Year award during his first campaign in England and has remained a key figure for City ever since. The 27-year-old is calm and composed when on the ball, capable of picking out the perfect pass for his teammates, but he's also incredibly strong, almost immovable when battling opposition strikers. There are few like him and, considering he's one of the best centre-backs in the world , there's no doubt he'll climb even higher up this list as his career progresses.
Pep Guardiola has assembled one of the greatest sides in football history. 5 Nani Nani was initially viewed as the next Cristiano Ronaldo when he moved to Manchester United, full of the skill and trickery that caught the club's eye with his fellow Portuguese star several years earlier. That's not quite how things panned out, but the forward still had a fantastic run in England and made more than a mark at Old Trafford.
Nani was able to play on either wing and his incredible ability with the ball at his feet saw him regularly creating space and finding his teammates inside the box. The now 38-year-old spent eight years with the Red Devils and won an astonishing 12 trophies with the side in that time. 4 Bruno Fernandes He might not have the silverware that his compatriot Nani picked up during his time in Manchester, but Bruno Fernandes' importance to United and the role he's played in dragging his team to some silverware can't be overstated.
The attacking midfielder has been a creative monster since moving to England. He's regularly among the Premier League's leaders in terms of goal contributions and has shown time and time again his knack for scoring important goals, but also creating opportunities for his teammates. With fellow Portuguese man Ruben Amorim now taking charge of United, Fernandes' impact on the side should only get stronger too.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Bruno Fernandes has 99 goal contributions in 170 Premier League games. 3 Bernardo Silva Considering the amount of exciting attacking talent that Manchester City have had at their disposal in recent years, the fact that Bernardo Silva continues to maintain his spot in the side should tell you all that you need to know about how good he's been for the Citizens. First arriving at the Etihad in 2017, the forward has been dynamite for Guardiola.
His ability to play in a variety of different positions, matched with his elegance on the ball and his supreme ball control has made him a standout figure at City. Described as one of the most intelligent footballers in the sport right now, Silva is capable of driving the ball forward, retaining possession and pressing his opponents at a level unlike anyone else. With nearly 250 Premier League games under his belt, he's undoubtedly one of the best Portuguese players to ever play in the division.
2 Ricardo Carvalho He might not have quite as many games in the Premier League as some of the other names on this list, but Ricardo Carvalho's time at Chelsea was simply outstanding. Alongside John Terry, he formed one of the best centre-back duos the top flight has ever seen . Their defensive record during the 2004/05 campaign still stands above any other team in history and the former Porto man was largely responsible for that.
He had speed, he was dominant in the air and he was an extremely intelligent defender who was always two or three steps ahead of his opponents. He wasn't the strongest, but he didn't need to be. He eventually left Chelsea for Real Madrid after six years in London, but not before he'd solidified his spot as one of the best Portuguese players to ever appear in the Premier League.
The 20 greatest centre-backs in Premier League history, including Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, have been ranked in order. 1 Cristiano Ronaldo Let's be honest: did you think for one second there was going to be anyone other than Cristiano Ronaldo at number one? The former Manchester United forward is one of the greatest footballers to ever play the sport and his longevity on the pitch is something worth studying. When he moved to England, he was still something of an unknown commodity, but his brash nature and his ability to beat just about anyone on the dribble quickly showed why the Red Devils signed him.
The 30 greatest footballers of all time have been named but who comes out on top; Messi, Ronaldo or Maradona? During his time in England, he rose to become a Ballon d'Or winner and started to realise the potential that has seen him dominate football for two decades. He wasn't quite the goalscoring machine that he'd transform into at Real Madrid, but Ronaldo still became a world beater during his stint in England. While his second spell at Old Trafford ended on a sour note, there's no doubt whatsoever that he's the best Portuguese player to play in Premier League history.
In fact, he's regarded as the greatest footballer to come out of Portugal , period, so it's only fitting that he sits top of this list too. He more than earned it. All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 18/11/2024.
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