Although it is uncommon to see Portuguese players plying their trade in the Premier League, a few elite players from the country have made a name for themselves on English shores. 

As aforementioned, there was not an extensive pool of Portuguese footballers to choose from. Those that were considered but did not make the top five include the likes of Raul Meireles, Cedric Soares, Jose Bosingwa, Deco and Ricardo Quaresma. Deco and Quaresma were probably the two that came the closest to making the list, but their footballing peaks occurred away from England and thus were omitted.

Now onto the list of the Premier League’s top five greatest Portuguese. Which 2016 European Championship winner takes the number five spot? Which nine-year Premier League veteran makes the list? And can anyone come close to challenging Cristiano Ronaldo for top spot? Find out all the answers to these questions in the following pages.

5) Jose Fonte

Eight years ago, the Penafiel born man was plying his trade in League One with Southampton. However, he would soon find himself in the most exciting league in the world. Fonte was pivotal as Southampton secured back to back promotions to seal a place amongst the country’s elite.

Fonte continued his remarkable story as he maintained his place in the heart of Southampton’s defence, and with his help the team quickly established themselves as one of the top ten teams in the league.

The former Crystal Palace man started to get credit as a top-class centre back in the 2014/2015 season off the back of a great season for his club. The Portuguese played a key role as he helped his team to a 7th place finish, securing continental qualification in the process. Southampton would have the second best defence in the league, having only conceded 33 goals across the whole campaign.

The defender’s impressive performances in the league saw him earn his first international cap in 2014, at the age of 30. He has made 21 appearances since, and played in every single knockout game as Portugal won Euro 2016. It’s worth noting that in the four games he started, Portugal only conceded one goal.

The long-time Southampton stalwart would make 260 appearances for the Saints, before he made an £8 million move to West Ham in January. The fact that West Ham decided to pay such a hefty fee for a 33-year-old speaks volumes about Fonte’s reputation as a solid defender.

In 2009 Jose Fonte was playing in League One. In 2016, he was a key part of a triumphant Portugal side in Euro 2016. The defender’s meteoric rise in world football makes him well worthy of a place on this list.

4) Nani

The winger arrived in England in 2007 after he completed a move from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £22 million. At the tender age of 21, Nani had impressed in his time with Sporting and thus many in Manchester believed he had the potential to match or even surpass compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo’s ability.

But early signs suggested that this would not happen. He would endure a tough first few years in Manchester as he struggled to accustom to life in English football. Despite his evident natural talent, question marks were raised about his attitude and many believed that this would hinder him from fulfilling his potential.

Known mainly for his superb ball skills and exuberant celebrations, the former Sporting man would benefit greatly from the departure of Ronaldo in 2009. United needed someone to fill the void left by Ronaldo’s departure, and Nani would answer these calls as he soon established himself as one of the focal points in a successful Manchester United side.

In the 2009/2010 season Nani enjoyed a fine season, as he scored nine goals in the league and added fourteen assists. These tallies were vital as United won the league, and Nani was praised for his contribution as he was named in the PFA team of the Year and won United’s Player’s Player of the season.

But despite this great season, things went quickly downhill and Nani never lived up to the performances of that season. He was frozen out in the 2012/2013 season and played a bit-part until his departure in 2015. In total, Nani played 230 times for United, scoring 40 goals. He also added 44 assists in his 147 league games.

It is fair to say Nani divided opinion during his stay in England, but despite never reaching his potential, he was still an extremely talented player who on his day was almost unplayable.

3) Paulo Ferreira

In 2004, Champions League winning manager Jose Mourinho joined Chelsea and took a few of his former players with him to West London. One of those that made the switch, was a Portuguese full back named Paulo Ferreira. He made the transfer to Chelsea for a fee of £13.2 million.

Although initially signed to play a key role in the right side of defence, the former Porto man would only be a mainstay in his first season in 2004/2005. In fact, across his nine-year period in the Premier League, he only made 141 appearances; making over 20 appearances in only four of those nine seasons.

Whereas those stats do not do the full back justice, it must be said that although he was not the most gifted player, he was an incredibly consistent player who could always be trusted to perform at a high level. Jose Mourinho commented on the Portuguese that “he was a player who will never be man of the match but would always score 7/10 for his individual display”. (Source: FourFourTwo)

Across nine seasons, he only made 214 competitive appearances in a Chelsea shirt. But he also won everything that was there to be won. In total, he won twelve trophies during his stay in West London, including three Premier League titles, four FA Cup’s and the Champions League.

Despite not being one of the most influential players in the Premier League, Paulo Ferreira’s contribution cannot be underestimated. Despite playing a bit-part for Chelsea across nine seasons, throughout his time in the Premier League he was an incredibly reliable player who always performed to a high standard whenever he was called upon.

2) Ricardo Carvalho

When Jose Mourinho joined Chelsea in 2004, his first act was to bring in Ricardo Carvalho from his former side for a fee of £20 million. It turned out to be a masterstroke by the ‘Special One’ as Carvalho’s performances in the centre of defence justified the price that Chelsea paid for his services.

Although not a towering centre defender (Carvalho is ‘only’ 6-foot-tall), Carvalho was a tough tackling defender who possessed all the traits needed to be a top-class centre back. Despite his size he was strong in the air, tough in the tackle, had good technical abilities and read the game wonderfully. He was the perfect partner for one of the Premier League’s greatest defenders, John Terry.

With Carvalho in the side, Chelsea had one of the best defences the Premier League has ever seen. In his first season at the club, the defender played a key role as his side accumulated 95 points, in the process only losing one game and conceding only 15 goals. Carvalho would continue his form going into the following season as Chelsea retained the title, whilst conceding only 22 goals.

During his stint with the West London club, the defender had great success. In his six-year association with Chelsea, Carvalho won seven titles, including three Premier League titles. Although personal accolades did not fall his way, the defender was honoured for his achievements as he made the shortlist for the FIFA World XI on four occasions.

Prior to leaving for Real Madrid in 2010, Carvalho would appear 210 times in English football, including 135 times in the Premier League. Incredibly, across those six seasons in England’s top flight, Carvalho would only taste defeat on 14 occasions. The defender was a big part in that as his presence ensured Chelsea had the best defence in the league in four of the six seasons he spent there.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo

The players already named in this list were good, but none are on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo. Although he was not at the peak of his powers during his stay in England, his early years in Manchester helped the legendary attacker become one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.

Ronaldo arrived in English football for £12 million, making him the most expensive teenager in English football history. For the first three seasons in Manchester his talent was plain to see and it was clear he would be a top player, but few would have imagined that he would transform himself into the incredible specimen that he is today.

Despite being largely deployed as a winger, Ronaldo’s career escalated considerably in the 2006/2007 season as the Portuguese hit the net 17 times in the Premier League. This was only a sign of things to come. In the following seasons he was unstoppable, notching 31 goals in 2007/2008 and 18 in 2008/2009.

In his six-year spell in Manchester, in all competitions Ronaldo appeared 292 times and scored 118 goals; a remarkable tally for a winger as he was then. He also racked up nine trophies, and won nearly everything there was to win on a personal level in 2008, including the Balon d’Or.

Ronaldo had achieved it all in England and thus he decided to embark on another adventure in 2009. He decided to sign for Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £80 million, where he progressed even further to the point where he is considered one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen.

It is hard to sum up Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatness. During his spell in England, he was not the all-conquering player he is today but nevertheless he was still one of the best players the country has ever seen. Although at the time I probably did not appreciate it at the time, but I think it’s safe to say the vast majority of English football fans would feel privileged that they got to witness one of the game’s greatest ever players ply his trade in the Premier League for a short period.