The Portugal national football team (Portuguese Selecao Portuguesa de Futebol) has been representing Portugal in international football matches since 1921. Portugal's national football team is managed by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) which is the governing body of the sport of football within Portugal. Portugal's home games are played in various stadiums across Portugal and the primary training ground as well as its technical headquarters, Cidade do Futebol, is situated in Oeiras. The head coach currently for the club is Fernando Santos and the captain is Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo also holds the record for team with the most caps as well as the many goals.
Portugal's first appearance in the finals of a major tournament was during 1966's World Cup, which saw the team that featured Ballon d'Or winner Eusebio finish in third position. Portugal also reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 1984, losing to hosts and ultimately winning France. In the first golden era during the 90s Portugal was consistently active in all final of major tournaments including the semi-finals at Euro 2000 and Euro 2012. It was the Euro 2004 finals, which they were defeated by Greece on their home turf and in the semi-finals at in 2006's World Cup, finishing in fourth place, which was the highest performance of Portugal in that World Cup since 1966. This was largely because of the performance of many players, including Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, and Cristiano Ronaldo whom is widely regarded as one of the best players of all time.
in 2014 Fernando Santos was appointed as the new head coach of Portugal's national team. A year later, in Euro 2016, Santos led Portugal to its first major trophy, a major one, by beating the hosts France during the semi-finals. The victory ensured that Portugal was able to qualify for its first appearance at the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Russia which they won in third position. Portugal has qualified and hosted the brand-new 2019-19 Nations League finals where they won, beating the Netherlands and securing the second major victory of the tournament over three tournaments. Portugal was also a part of the Olympic football tournament and even made it to semifinals at this year's Summer Olympic, finishing in fourth place.
Portugal is also known as the Selecao des Quinas (a synecdoche inspired by its flag) and has significant rivalries with Brazil due to their the common heritage and cultural characteristics, France, due to numerous important matches between teams at Euro and the World Cup, and Spain also has a name, A Guerra Iberica in Portuguese or The Iberian War in English The rivalry between the two countries dating all the way to 1581.
