The Taça da Liga (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈtasɐ ðɐ ˈliɣɐ]), known outside Portugal as Portuguese League Cup, is an annual club football competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) for teams competing in the top two tiers of Portuguese football – the Primeira Liga and Liga Portugal 2.[1] Unlike Portugal's other domestic cup competition, the Taça de Portugal, the winners of the Taça da Liga do not qualify for European competitions.

Taça da Liga
Organising bodyLiga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional
Founded2007
RegionPortugal
Number of teams36 (2021–22 season)
Current championsBraga (3rd title)
Most successful club(s)Benfica (7 titles)
Television broadcastersSIC (final)
Sport TV
Websiteligaportugal.pt/allianzcup
2023–24 Taça da Liga

The Taça da Liga was established in the 2007–08 season, thus becoming the third official competition for professional clubs in Portugal,[1] after a proposal by Sporting and Boavista was approved by LPFP members on 28 November 2006. For sponsorship reasons, it is currently known as Allianz Cup (with the English word cup).

Benfica are the most successful team in the competition, having won seven trophies (four of which consecutively between 2008 and 2012). The current holders are Braga, who defeated Estoril in the 2024 final to secure their third title.

Format edit

The Taça da Liga format has suffered changes throughout the competition's history in order to increase the number of matches and also revenue for both clubs and LPFP. Starting in the 2021–22 season, the format is the following:

  • First round – One-legged ties between all Segunda Liga teams (except reserve or B teams), the ten Primeira Liga teams ranked 7th–16th in the previous season, and the two teams promoted from the Segunda Liga, with the winner advancing to the next round.
  • Second round – One-legged ties between the first-round winners and the two Primeira Liga teams ranked 5th and 6th in the previous season. The winners advance to the next round.
  • Third round – Four groups of three teams played in a single round-robin format, each containing two second-round winners and one of the four top-placed Primeira Liga season teams of the previous season. The group winners advance to the next round.
  • Knockout phase – Semi-finals and final played as one-legged fixtures played in a neutral ground.

For 2022–23, due to fixture congestion surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup, all Segunda Liga and Primeira Liga teams (except reserve or B teams) were placed into 8 groups (6 groups of 4 teams and 2 groups of 5 teams), with the group winners advancing to the knockout phase, consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. All knockout stage games are one-legged fixtures, with the semi-finals and finals still played in a neutral ground. All group stage games and the quarter-finals were played during the international break surrounding the World Cup.

Finals edit

Season Winners Score Runners-up Date Venue
2007–08 Vitória de Setúbal 0–0 (3–2 p) Sporting CP 22 March 2008 Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
2008–09 Benfica 1–1 (3–2 p) Sporting CP 21 March 2009
2009–10 Benfica (2) 3–0 Porto 21 March 2010
2010–11 Benfica (3) 2–1 Paços de Ferreira 23 April 2011 Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
2011–12 Benfica (4) 2–1 Gil Vicente 14 April 2012
2012–13 Braga 1–0 Porto 13 April 2013
2013–14 Benfica (5) 2–0 Rio Ave 7 May 2014 Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria
2014–15 Benfica (6) 2–1 Marítimo 29 May 2015 Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
2015–16 Benfica (7) 6–2 Marítimo 20 May 2016
2016–17 Moreirense 1–0 Braga 29 January 2017 Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
2017–18 Sporting CP 1–1 (5–4 p) Vitória de Setúbal 27 January 2018 Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga
2018–19 Sporting CP (2) 1–1 (3–1 p) Porto 26 January 2019
2019–20 Braga (2) 1–0 Porto 25 January 2020
2020–21 Sporting CP (3) 1–0 Braga 23 January 2021 Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria
2021–22 Sporting CP (4) 2–1 Benfica 29 January 2022
2022–23 Porto 2–0 Sporting CP 28 January 2023
2023–24 Braga (3) 1–1 (5–4 p) Estoril 27 January 2024

Performance by club edit

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runner-up years
Benfica 7 1 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 2022
Sporting CP 4 3 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 2008, 2009, 2023
Braga 3 2 2013, 2020, 2024 2017, 2021
Porto 1 4 2023 2010, 2013, 2019, 2020
Vitória de Setúbal 1 1 2008 2018
Moreirense 1 0 2017
Marítimo 0 2 2015, 2016
Paços de Ferreira 0 1 2011
Gil Vicente 0 1 2012
Rio Ave 0 1 2014
Estoril 0 1 2024

Participating clubs edit

Team City Years First season Last season Titles Runners-up
1 Benfica Lisbon 17 2008 2024 7 1
2 Sporting CP Lisbon 17 2008 2024 4 3
3 Braga Braga 17 2008 2024 3 2
4 Porto Porto 17 2008 2024 1 4
5 Vitória de Setúbal Setúbal 13 2008 2020 1 1
6 Moreirense Moreira de Cónegos 13 2011 2024 1 0
7 Marítimo Funchal 16 2008 2024 0 2
8 Estoril Estoril 17 2008 2024 0 1
8 Paços de Ferreira Paços de Ferreira 17 2008 2024 0 1
10 Rio Ave Vila do Conde 16 2008 2024 0 1
11 Gil Vicente Barcelos 15 2008 2024 0 1
12 Vitória de Guimarães Guimarães 17 2008 2024 0 0
13 Feirense Santa Maria da Feira 16 2008 2024 0 0
13 Leixões Matosinhos 16 2008 2024 0 0
13 Nacional Funchal 16 2008 2024 0 0
13 Portimonense Portimão 16 2008 2024 0 0
13 Santa Clara Ponta Delgada 16 2008 2024 0 0
18 Penafiel Penafiel 15 2008 2024 0 0
19 Académica Coimbra 14 2008 2022 0 0
19 Sporting da Covilhã Covilhã 14 2009 2023 0 0
21 Desportivo das Aves Vila das Aves 13 2008 2020 0 0
21 Oliveirense Oliveira de Azeméis 13 2009 2024 0 0
23 Belenenses Lisbon 12 2008 2024 0 0
23 Arouca Arouca 12 2011 2024 0 0
25 Chaves Chaves 11 2010 2024 0 0
25 Tondela Tondela 11 2013 2024 0 0
27 Olhanense Olhão 10 2008 2017 0 0
27 Varzim Póvoa de Varzim 10 2008 2022 0 0
27 Trofense Trofa 10 2008 2023 0 0
27 Boavista Porto 10 2008 2024 0 0
27 Académico de Viseu Viseu 10 2014 2024 0 0
32 Beira-Mar Aveiro 8 2008 2015 0 0
32 Freamunde Freamunde 8 2008 2017 0 0
32 Farense Faro 8 2014 2024 0 0
32 Famalicão Vila Nova de Famalicão 8 2016 2024 0 0
36 União da Madeira Funchal 7 2012 2018 0 0
36 Mafra Mafra 7 2016 2024 0 0
38 Naval Figueira da Foz 6 2008 2013 0 0
38 União de Leiria Leiria 6 2008 2024 0 0
38 Vizela Vizela 6 2008 2024 0 0
41 Atlético CP Lisbon 5 2012 2016 0 0
41 Estrela da Amadora Amadora 5 2008 2024 0 0
43 Cova da Piedade Cova da Piedade 4 2017 2020 0 0
43 B-SAD Lisbon 4 2019 2023 0 0
43 Casa Pia Lisbon 4 2020 2024 0 0
46 Fátima Fátima 3 2008 2011 0 0
46 Vilafranquense Vila Franca de Xira 3 2020 2023 0 0
48 Gondomar Gondomar 2 2008 2009 0 0
48 Oriental Lisbon 2 2015 2016 0 0
48 Torreense Torres Vedras 2 2023 2024 0 0
51 Carregado Carregado 1 2010 2010 0 0
51 Fafe Fafe 1 2017 2017 0 0
51 Real Queluz 1 2018 2018 0 0
51 AVS Vila das Aves 1 2024 2024 0 0
51 Länk Vilaverdense Vila Verde 1 2024 2024 0 0

Players statistics edit

Appearances edit

As of 2022–23 season[2]
Rank Nat. Player Apps Goals Years Clubs
1   Jardel 43 1 2009–2021 Estoril, Olhanense, Benfica
2   Tarantini 41 5 2007–2021 Portimonense, Rio Ave
3   Filipe Gonçalves 36 3 2007–2020 Vitória Setúbal, Paços Ferreira, Trofense, Moreirense, Estoril, Oliveirense
  Gilberto Silva 36 3 2007– Boavista, Covilhã
5   Ricardo Pessoa 35 7 2007–2018 Portimonense, Moreirense
  João Pedro 35 4 2007–2022 Beira-Mar, União de Leiria, Oliveirense, Naval, Braga Belenenses, Moreirense, Académica
7   Jorge Pires 34 7 2008–2020 Portimonense, Desportivo das Aves, Feirense, Moreirense, Penafiel
  Hélder Guedes 34 9 2007–2018 Penafiel, Paços de Ferreira, Rio Ave, Vitória Setúbal
  Ukra 34 3 2007–2022 Varzim, Olhanense, FC Porto, Braga, Rio Ave, Santa Clara
  Paulinho 34 20 2012– Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP

Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal

Goalscorers edit

All-time top scorers edit

As of 2022–23 season[3]
Rank Nat. Player Goals Games Years Clubs
1   Paulinho 20 34 2012– Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP
2   Tozé Marreco 12 25 2010– Desportivo das Aves, União da Madeira, Naval, Tondela, Académica
3  /  Liédson 11 13 2007–2013 Sporting CP, Porto
4   Jonas 10 15 2014–2019 Benfica
5   Hélder Guedes 9 34 2007–2018 Penafiel, Paços de Ferreira, Rio Ave, Vitória Setúbal
  Lima 9 16 2009–2015 Belenenses, Braga, Benfica
  Rabiola 9 16 2007–2015 Porto, Desportivo das Aves, Penafiel
 /  Dyego Sousa 9 21 2010–2019 Leixões, Tondela, Portimonense Marítimo, Braga
  Edinho 9 22 2007–2020 Marítimo, Académica, Braga, Vitória de Setúbal, Feirense
  Miguel Rosa 9 25 2008– Estoril, Carregado, Belenenses, Cova da Piedade, Estrela da Amadora
  Clemente 9 27 2007–2019 Chaves, Oliveirense, Santa Clara

Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal

Goalscorers by seasons edit

Season Player Country Club Goals
2007–08 Matheus   Brazil Vitória de Setúbal 5
2008–09 Liédson   Brazil Sporting CP 4
2009–10 Carlão   Brazil União de Leiria 3
2010–11 Hugo Vieira   Portugal Gil Vicente 5
2011–12 Baba Diawara   Senegal Marítimo 4
Rodrigo   Spain Benfica
Miguel Rosa   Portugal Belenenses
2012–13 Fabrício   Brazil Sporting da Covilhã 5
Josué   Portugal Paços de Ferreira
Rafael Porcellis   Brazil Santa Clara
Rabiola   Portugal Desportivo das Aves
2013–14 Tozé Marreco   Portugal Tondela 3
Jackson Martínez   Colombia Porto
Moreira   Portugal Leixões
Ricardo Pessoa   Portugal Portimonense
Wágner   Brazil Moreirense
2014–15 Jonas   Brazil Benfica 5
2015–16 Raúl Jiménez   Mexico Benfica 4
Talisca   Brazil Benfica
2016–17 Welthon   Brazil Paços de Ferreira 4
2017–18 Gonçalo Paciência   Portugal Vitória de Setúbal 5
2018–19 Paulinho   Portugal Braga 4
Dyego Sousa   Portugal Braga
2019–20 Ricardo Horta   Portugal Braga 4
Soares   Brazil Porto
2020–21 Paulinho   Portugal Braga 3
2021–22 Gustavo Sauer   Brazil Boavista 4
2022–23 Paulinho   Portugal Sporting CP 8

Sponsorship edit

Since its inception (except in the period between 2011 and 2015) the Taça da Liga has had the following naming sponsors meaning it has been known by different names:

Period Sponsor Name
2007–2010 Carlsberg Carlsberg Cup
2010–2011 Bwin Bwin Cup
2011–2015 No main sponsor Taça da Liga
2015–2018 CTT Taça CTT
2018– Allianz Allianz Cup

Records edit

As of 30 January 2020[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Taça da Liga – Acerca desta Competição" [About this competition]. lpfp.pt (in Portuguese). Portuguese League for Professional Football. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.
  3. ^ "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.
  4. ^ "Stats". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Cardozo? Jonas? Jackson? Golos na Taça da Liga é mais com Tozé Marreco" [Cardozo ? Jonas ? Jackson? Goals in the League Cup is More with Toze Marreco] (in Portuguese). zerozero. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.

External links edit