Porto (2010–11 squad pictured) are the second most successful club in terms of championship titles (27), behind Benfica (32).

The association football champions of Portugal are the winners of the top tier league in Portuguese football, currently the Primeira Liga. The league is contested in a double round-robin format and the championship title is awarded to the team with the most points, and therefore at the top of the league standings, at the end of the season.

The Primeira Liga was first established in 1934 by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), under the name of Campeonato da Primeira Liga (Premier League Championship). It was initially created as an experimental league competition, which was contested by the top ranked teams from the different regional championships. Four years later, the Primeira Liga was officially adopted as the top level national championship, replacing the Campeonato de Portugal (Championship of Portugal), a knockout tournament that had determined the national champions since 1922.[a] The league was known as Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão (First Division National Championship), or simply Primeira Divisão, until 1999, when the Portuguese League for Professional Football gave it its current naming.[b]

Benfica are the most successful team in the Primeira Liga, having won 32 titles in 79 seasons. They are followed by Porto and Sporting, with 27 and 18 titles, respectively. Together, these teams – nicknamed "The Big Three" – have won all but two titles; the exceptions were Belenenses in 1945–46, and Boavista in 2000–01. Porto are the incumbent and three-time defending champions, having won the 2012–13 competition without a single defeat. They have imposed their domestic dominance in the past decades, winning 20 titles since 1984. Porto also hold the record for the most consecutive titles, with five wins between 1994–95 and 1998–99.

Champions

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Key
Champions won the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) in the same season (the Double)
Champions won the Taça de Portugal and a European competition in the same season (the Treble)
§ Champions won the Taça da Liga (League Cup) in the same season
(titles) Cumulative tally of championship titles

Campeonato da Primeira Liga (1934–38)

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Campeonato da Primeira Liga top three teams and top goalscorer(s) by season[1][2]
Season Winner (titles) Runner-up Third place Top goalscorer (club) Goals
1934–35 Porto Sporting Benfica Manuel Soeiro (Sporting) 14
1935–36 Benfica Porto Sporting Pinga (Porto) 21
1936–37 Benfica (2) Belenenses Sporting Manuel Soeiro (Sporting) 24
1937–38 Benfica (3) Porto Sporting Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting) 34

Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão (1938–99)

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Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão top three teams and top goalscorer(s) by season[3][2]
Season Winner (titles) Runner-up Third place Top goalscorer (club) Goals
1938–39 Porto (2) Sporting Benfica Costuras (Porto) 18
1939–40 Porto (3) Sporting Belenenses Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting)
Slavko Kodrnja (Porto)
29
1940–41 Sporting Porto Belenenses Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting) 29
1941–42 Benfica (4) Sporting Belenenses Correia Dias (Porto) 36
1942–43 Benfica (5) Sporting Belenenses Julinho (Benfica) 24
1943–44 Sporting (2) Benfica Atlético Francisco Rodrigues (Vitória de Setúbal) 28
1944–45 Benfica (6) Sporting Belenenses Francisco Rodrigues (Vitória de Setúbal) 21
1945–46 Belenenses Benfica Sporting Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting) 37
1946–47 Sporting (3) Benfica Porto Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting) 43
1947–48 Sporting (4) Benfica Belenenses António Araújo (Porto) 36
1948–49 Sporting (5) Benfica Belenenses Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting) 40
1949–50 Benfica (7) Sporting Atlético Julinho (Benfica) 28
1950–51 Sporting (6) Porto Benfica Manuel Vasques (Sporting) 29
1951–52 Sporting (7) Benfica Porto José Águas (Benfica) 28
1952–53 Sporting (8) Benfica Belenenses Matateu (Belenenses) 29
1953–54 Sporting (9) Porto Benfica João Baptista Martins (Sporting) 31
1954–55 Benfica (8) Belenenses Sporting Matateu (Belenenses) 32
1955–56 Porto (4) Benfica Belenenses José Águas (Benfica) 28
1956–57 Benfica (9) Porto Belenenses José Águas (Benfica) 30
1957–58 Sporting (10) Porto Benfica Arsénio Duarte (CUF) 23
1958–59 Porto (5) Benfica Belenenses José Águas (Benfica) 26
1959–60 Benfica (10) Sporting Belenenses Edmur Ribeiro (Vitória de Guimarães) 25
1960–61 Benfica (11)[c] Sporting Porto José Águas (Benfica) 27
1961–62 Sporting (11) Porto Benfica Verissimo (Porto) 23
1962–63 Benfica (12) Porto Sporting José Augusto Torres (Benfica) 26
1963–64 Benfica (13) Porto Sporting Eusébio (Benfica) 28
1964–65 Benfica (14) Porto CUF Eusébio (Benfica) 28
1965–66 Sporting (12) Benfica Porto Eusébio (Benfica)
Ernesto Figueiredo (Sporting)
25
1966–67 Benfica (15) Académica Porto Eusébio (Benfica) 31
1967–68 Benfica (16) Sporting Porto Eusébio (Benfica) 42[d]
1968–69 Benfica (17) Porto Vitória de Guimarães Manuel António (Académica de Coimbra) 19
1969–70 Sporting (13) Benfica Vitória de Setúbal Eusébio (Benfica) 20
1970–71 Benfica (18) Sporting Porto Artur Jorge (Benfica) 23
1971–72 Benfica (19) Vitória de Setúbal Sporting Artur Jorge (Benfica) 27
1972–73 Benfica (20)[e] Belenenses Vitória de Setúbal Eusébio (Benfica) 40[d]
1973–74 Sporting (14) Benfica Vitória de Setúbal Héctor Yazalde (Sporting) 46[d]
1974–75 Benfica (21) Porto Sporting Héctor Yazalde (Sporting) 30
1975–76 Benfica (22) Boavista Belenenses Rui Jordão (Benfica) 30
1976–77 Benfica (23) Sporting Porto Fernando Gomes (Porto) 26
1977–78 Porto (6) Benfica Sporting Fernando Gomes (Porto) 25
1978–79 Porto (7) Benfica Sporting Fernando Gomes (Porto) 27
1979–80 Sporting (15) Porto Benfica Rui Jordão (Sporting) 31
1980–81 Benfica (24) Porto Sporting Nené (Benfica) 20
1981–82 Sporting (16) Benfica Porto Jacques Pereira (Porto) 27
1982–83 Benfica (25) Porto Sporting Fernando Gomes (Porto) 36[d]
1983–84 Benfica (26) Porto Sporting Fernando Gomes (Porto)
Nené (Benfica)
21
1984–85 Porto (8) Sporting Benfica Fernando Gomes (Porto) 39[d]
1985–86 Porto (9) Benfica Sporting Manuel Fernandes (Sporting) 30
1986–87 Benfica (27) Porto Vitória de Guimarães Paulinho Cascavel (Vitória de Guimarães) 22
1987–88 Porto (10) Benfica Belenenses Paulinho Cascavel (Sporting) 23
1988–89 Benfica (28) Porto Boavista Vata (Benfica) 16
1989–90 Porto (11) Benfica Sporting Mats Magnusson (Benfica) 33
1990–91 Benfica (29) Porto Sporting Rui Águas (Benfica) 25
1991–92 Porto (12) Benfica Boavista Ricky (Boavista) 30
1992–93 Porto (13) Benfica Sporting Jorge Cadete (Sporting) 18
1993–94 Benfica (30) Porto Sporting Rashidi Yekini (Vitória de Setúbal) 21
1994–95 Porto (14) Sporting Benfica Hassan Nader (Farense) 21
1995–96 Porto (15) Benfica Sporting Domingos Paciência (Porto) 25
1996–97 Porto (16) Sporting Benfica Mário Jardel (Porto) 30
1997–98 Porto (17) Benfica Vitória de Guimarães Mário Jardel (Porto) 26
1998–99 Porto (18) Boavista Benfica Mário Jardel (Porto) 36[d]

Primeira Liga (1999–present)

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Primeira Liga top three teams and top goalscorer(s) by season[3][2]
Season Winner (titles) Runner-up Third place Top goalscorer (club) Goals
1999–2000 Sporting (17) Porto Benfica Mário Jardel (Porto) 37
2000–01 Boavista Porto Sporting Renivaldo Pena (Porto) 22
2001–02 Sporting (18) Boavista Porto Mário Jardel (Sporting) 42[d]
2002–03 Porto (19)[f] Benfica Sporting Fary Faye (Beira-Mar)
Simão Sabrosa (Benfica)
18
2003–04 Porto (20)[g] Benfica Sporting Benni McCarthy (Porto) 20
2004–05 Benfica (31) Porto Sporting Liédson (Sporting) 25
2005–06 Porto (21) Sporting Benfica Albert Meyong (Belenenses) 17
2006–07 Porto (22) Sporting Benfica Liédson (Sporting) 15
2007–08 Porto (23) Sporting Vitória de Guimarães Lisandro López (Porto) 24
2008–09 Porto (24) Sporting Benfica Nenê (Nacional) 20
2009–10 Benfica (32)§ Braga Porto Óscar Cardozo (Benfica) 26
2010–11 Porto (25)[e][h] Benfica Sporting Hulk (Porto) 23
2011–12 Porto (26) Benfica Braga Óscar Cardozo (Benfica) 20
2012–13 Porto (27)[e] Benfica Paços de Ferreira Jackson Martínez (Porto) 26

Records

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Titles by club

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Five clubs have won the championship, three of which have collected all but two of the 79 league titles in dispute since 1934.

Number of titles and title-winning seasons by club
Club Titles Seasons
Benfica 32 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2004–05, 2009–10
Porto 27 1934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
Sporting 18 1940–41, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1978–80, 1981–82, 1999–2000, 2001–02
Belenenses 1 1945–46
Boavista 1 2000–01

Titles by city

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Only clubs based in the cities of Lisbon or Porto have been champions, showcasing the bipolarity of Portuguese club football.

Number of titles and champions by city
City Titles Clubs (titles)
Lisbon 51 Benfica (32), Sporting (18), Belenenses (1)
Porto 28 Porto (27), Boavista (1)

Consecutive titles

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Porto holds the record for the longest run of consecutive Primeira Liga titles, with five wins (1994–95 to 1998–99). They surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wins established by Sporting (1950–51 to 1953–54). Recently, Porto also secured another run of four successive league titles (2005–06 to 2008–09).

Most consecutive titles won
Titles Club Runs Seasons
Five (5) Porto 1 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99
Four (4) Porto 2 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98
2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
Sporting 1 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54
Three (3) Benfica 5 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38
1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65
1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69
1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73
1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77
Porto 3 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97
2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
Sporting 2 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53
Two (2) Benfica 8 1935–36, 1936–37
1941–42, 1942–43
1959–60, 1960–61
1962–63, 1963–64
1966–67, 1967–68
1970–71, 1971–72
1974–75, 1975–76
1982–83, 1983–84
Porto 8 1938–39, 1939–40
1977–78, 1978–79
1984–85, 1985–86
1991–92, 1992–93
1994–95, 1995–96
2002–03, 2003–04
2005–06, 2006–07
2010–11, 2011–12
Sporting 2 1946–47, 1947–48
1950–51, 1951–52

Longest title droughts

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Longest title droughts
Seasons Club Period
19 Porto 1958–59 → 1977–78
18 Sporting 1981–82 → 1999–2000
16 Porto 1939–40 → 1955–56
11 Benfica 1993–94 → 2004–05
Sporting 2001–02 → present

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ With the establishment of the Primeira Liga as the official championship, FPF converted the Campeonato de Portugal into its premier cup competition, the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup). In fact, the trophy currently awarded to the Portuguese Cup winners is the same that awarded to the winners of the Campeonato de Portugal.
  2. ^ Before the 1995–96 season, FPF delegated the organisation of the professional championships (including the Primeira Divisão) to the Portuguese League for Professional Football, an autonomous body inserted in the FPF structure.
  3. ^ Won the 1960–61 European Cup.[4]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Won the European Golden Shoe.[5][6]
  5. ^ a b c Finished the championship without defeats.
  6. ^ Won the 2002–03 UEFA Cup.[7]
  7. ^ Won the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League.[8]
  8. ^ Won the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Claro, Paulo. "Portugal – List of champions: Campeonato da Ia Liga 1934–1938 (unofficial)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Claro, Paulo. "Portugal – List of Topscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  3. ^ a b Claro, Paulo. "Portugal – List of champions: Campeonato da Ia Divisão 1938–". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. ^ "1960/61: Eagles soar to end Madrid monopoly". UEFA.com – The official website for European football. Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). 31 March 1961. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Golden Shoe". European Sports Media. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  6. ^ Arotaritei, Sorin; Di Maggio, Roberto; Stokkermans, Karel. "Golden Boot ("Soulier d'Or") Awards". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  7. ^ "2002/03: Mourinho makes his mark". UEFA.com – The official website for European football. UEFA. 1 June 2003. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  8. ^ "2003/04: Porto pull off biggest surprise". UEFA.com – The official website for European football. UEFA. 26 May 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  9. ^ "2010/11: Falcao heads Porto to glory". UEFA.com – The official website for European football. UEFA. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
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