Futebol

( Football or Soccer)

   Portugal's most popular sport or game, for decades the national sport. There are at least two different theories about how soccer was introduced to Portugal and both are set in the late 1880s. One story is that soccer was introduced when Portuguese students with a soccer ball returned from England.

   Another version is that the sport was brought to Portugal by resident or visiting Britons. The game was first played only by foreigners, but soon became popular among Portuguese. Some of the earliest soccer games were played on fields in the property of the Eastern Telegraph Company in Carcavelos, outside Lisbon. The word in Portuguese, futebol, derives from the English word football. Organized by the entrepreneur Guilherme Pinto Basto, the first exhibition game between Portuguese and Britons was in 1888, and the first match, between Oporto and Lisbon was held in 1894, with King Carlos I in attendance.

   Especially after World War I, futebol acquired a mass, popular following. By midcentury, Portugal's periodical with the largest circulation was Lisbon's soccer newspaper Bola ("Ball"). After 1939, many soccer stadiums were constructed, and Portuguese fans became divided into supporters of two rival professional soccer teams: Sporting or Benfica, both from the Lisbon region. In the World Cup soccer games of 1966, Portugal's national team achieved fame and distinction, reaching the semifinals, only to lose to the Brazilians. Starring on Portugal's 1966 World Cup team was the celebrated Mozambique-born Eusébio. In that World Cup contest, Portugal became the first national team to reach the semifinals in their first appearance in the contest. In 2004, Portugal hosted the Euro cup, and Portugal's national team was defeated in the final by Greece. In May 2006, Portugal's national soccer team was ranked seventh out of 205 countries by the world soccer association (FIFA).

   Among the many sports enjoyed in Portugal, soccer ( futebol) is by far the most popular, with some observers claiming that it approaches a semireligious movement. In international competition, although Portugal's national team boasts world-class players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo, and nourishes fond memories of "Eusébio" from the 1960s world cup matches, Portugal has never won a World Cup. It has garnered individual titles in the Euro soccer cup. A ferocious rivalry among professional soccer clubs continues, as fans of clubs such as Sporting and Benfica demonstrate.

   In recent decades, Portuguese athletes have excelled in world track and field competitions, and Olympic gold medals have been won by athletes such as Vanessa Fernandes, Rui Silva, and Naide Gomes. Portuguese teams have been highly competitive in the fast, popular sport of rink hockey, also called hardball hockey or roller hockey (quad), or, in the Portuguese language, hoquei em patins. Since the 1940s, Portugal has won 15 world titles, in hot competition with rivals Spain (13 world titles), Italy (4), and Argentina (4). Among other popular sports in Portugal is cycling, and the principal cycle competition in Portugal is the Volta a Portugal. In recent years, rugby has attained a new popularity in Portugal, and Portuguese rugby teams have been improving. In judo, Portugal has a young European champion in Telma Monteiro. Equestrianism has long been a sport of consequence, although traditionally viewed as a largely elite activity. Bull- fighting continues, but its popularity has slipped and the activity's future remains uncertain. In a country with a substantial Atlantic coast, Portugal has taken to popular water sports, such as sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, surfing, swimming, and kite-surfing. Motor sports, such as international car racing, also have a growing number of fans.

    See also Futebol.

   Until soccer ( futebol) assumed that role in the 20th century, bull-fighting was perhaps Portugal's most popular national sport. Portugal's variation of this blood sport, which is also pursued in Spain and a number of Latin American countries (as well as occasionally the United States), differs from that found in neighboring Spain. The contemporary Portuguese bullfight emphasizes pageantry, spectacle, horsemanship, and bull-jumping during a typical "program" of six bulls.

   The Portuguese participants wear 18th-century costumes, including plumed three-cornered hats, silk breeches, and buckled shoes and boots, and the bulls are not killed in the arena. In the early stages of each "fight," the bull is taunted and harassed by participants on foot or on horses. In the final stage of each bull's appearance, the bull is challenged to charge by a group of seven men called forcados, who proceed to incite the bull to charge the first man in front of the lined-up row of six other men. The object is to jump on the bull's head, hold the horns, and stop the bull's forward progress. Even though the bull's horns are cut and padded and horses wear padding, injuries to persons and horses do occur. In Portuguese tradition, it is said that the bull-jumping activity goes back to the ancient Phoenician or even Minoan customs of bull-jumping as a popular sport.

   In recent years, bullfight audiences have decreased in number while soccer has increasingly drawn greater crowds. During the 18th century, when killing the bull was part of the Portuguese bullfight, during one series of incidents a number of aristocratic bullfighters died in the arena. In 1928, the government of the day banned killing the bull and made such an act against the law. Matadores who killed the bull in the fight then were fined. In 2007, the matador Pedro de Portugal was fined 137,000 euros for killing a bull in the ring as an act of protest against the ban.

   The traditional bullfight season in Portugal runs from May into October each year. It was customary during the Estado Novo that after the bullfight the bulls, although not killed in the bullring, were slaughtered soon afterward and the meat donated to feed the poor. The supply of horses and bulls for this blood sport remains a business of some consequence in the Ribatejo district, north of the Tagus River, the "cowboy" and cattle section of central Portugal.

   Equestrianism or Equitation has an ancient tradition in Portugal. Although today this sport of horseback riding, which is related to the art and science of horse breeding, is a peaceful activity, for centuries Portugal's use of the horse in cavalry was closely associated with war. Beginning in the 18th century, the activity became connected to bull- fighting. In war, the Portuguese used horse cavalry longer than most other European nations. While most armies gave up the horse for mechanized cavalry or tanks after World War I, Portugal was reluctant to change this tradition. Oddly, Portugal used a specialized form of cavalry in combat as late as 1969-1971, in Angola, a colony of Portugal until 1975. Portugal's army in Angola, engaged in a war with Angolan nationalist forces, employed the so-called "Dragoons," a specialized cavalry in rural areas, until 1971, a case perhaps of the last use of cavalry in modern warfare.

   Soccer, or futebol, is Portugal's favorite mass sport today, but equestrianism retains a special place in sports as a now democratized, if somewhat elite, sport for both Portuguese and visiting foreign riders. As of 1900, equestrianism was still the sport of royalty and aristocracy, but in the 21st century persons from all classes and groups enjoy it. The sport now features the unique Lusitano breed of horse, which evolved from earlier breeds of Iberian ponies and horses. Touring equestrianism recently has become an activity of niche tourism, and it is complemented by international competitive riding. Following the early 20th century, when the Olympics were revived, Portuguese competitors have excelled not only in sailing, field hockey on roller-skates, rowing, and marksmanship, but also in equestrianism. Notable Portuguese riders were medal winners in summer Olympics such as those of 1948 and 1988. This sport is engaged in primarily if not exclusively in regions with a history of horse breeding, riding, and cattle herding, in Ribatejo and Alentejo provinces, and has featured career military participants.

   Portuguese equestrianism, including the use of horses in bull-fighting, hunting, and other forms of sport, as well as in horse cavalry in war, was long associated with the lifestyles of royalty and the nobility. The use of traditional, Baroque riding gear and garb in competitive riding, instruction, and bull-fighting reflects such a tradition. Riders in bull-fighting or in exhibitions wear 18th-century male costumes that include a tricornered hat, long frock coats, breeches, stockings, and buckled shoes. The Ribatejo "cowboy" or riding herder wears the regional costume of a green and red cap, red tunic, white breeches and stockings, Portuguese bridles, and chaps sometimes made of olive leaves.

   Although their prestigious classical riding academy remains less well known than the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Portugal has preserved the ancient tradition of a classical riding school in its Royal School of Portuguese Equestrian Arts, at Queluz, not far from the National Palace of Queluz, a miniature Portuguese Versailles, with a hall of mirrors, tiled garden, and canal. One of the great riding masters and trainers was the late Nuno Oliveira (1925-89), whose work generated a worldwide network of students and followers and who published classic riding manuals. Oliveira's widely admired method of instruction was to bring about a perfect harmony of action between horse and rider, an inspiration to new generations of riders.

    See also Queluz, National Palace of.

   Known as Porto in Portuguese, it is the second largest city after Lisbon and a major commercial-industrial center of northern Portugal, as well as the outlet of the port wine industry. The capital of Oporto district, it is also "capital of the north," in effect. The current population of the city is approximately 240,000, with that of Greater Oporto over 2 million. Oporto lies on the right (north) bank of the Douro River, about three kilometers (two miles) from its mouth. Its harbor is Leixões. Several bridges connect the city to the south bank, including the famous Eiffel Bridge, built in the 19th century by the A. Gustave Eiffel, builder of the Eiffel Tower of Paris. Among the notable historic buildings are many churches, a Gothic medieval cathedral, a bishop's palace, and the Tower of the Clérigos. There are also interesting museums and libraries. Oporto's economy has been dominated for three centuries by the port wine shippers and industry; the wine, in fact, is named after the city itself. In recent decades, however, the local economy has become diversified, and industry and manufacturing have begun to surpass port wine in importance.

   The city of Oporto, proud of its hard-working reputation and its preeminence, has an ancient rivalry with the capital, Lisbon. Since 1820, when the first liberal, constitutional movement burst forth in Oporto, the city has often anticipated Lisbon in supporting liberal political causes. Other cases occurred in the 19th century, including the January 1891 republican revolt at Oporto, and in the 20th century, Oporto's fervent support of the presidential candidacy of the ill-fated general Humberto Delgado in 1958. It is noteworthy, too, that one of the most enduring critics of the Estado Novo in its middle and late years (1940s-1960s) was a bishop of Oporto, who was exiled and penalized by the regime.

   Whether it is in soccer ( futebol), liberal causes, hard work, or politics, Oporto and its inhabitants nurse a fierce local pride and claim superiority over Lisbon. In Portuguese tradition, Oporto residents are known as "tripe-eaters" ( tripeiros), as opposed to Lisbon residents, known as "lettuce-eaters" ( alfaçinhas). Despite Lisbon's dominance of the print media, starting in the 19th century, the city of Oporto has supported some of the country's more important daily newspapers.

(Dos Santos Aveiro)

    (1985-)

   Portuguese soccer player ranked as one of top professional players in the world. Born in Funchal, Madeira, in 1985, Ronaldo trained from the early age of eight with amateur Youth Clubs. In 2001, he joined one of the top professional futebol clubs of Portugal, Sporting CP, and in 2002, he was signed by the legendary British professional team, Manchester United. His salary was 12.24 million pounds sterling, a world record for a player of his youth. Although he preferred to wear the number "28," his Sporting CP number, his coach insisted that Ronaldo wear the legendary "7," the number of top British players who preceded him on the team, including George Best and David Beckham. Greatly in demand, Ronaldo was approached by Real Madrid, based in Spain, which tried several times in vain, using enormous salary pledges, to lure him from Manchester United. In 2007, Ronaldo was signed to a new contract for an immense sum and became the highest paid pro team player in history.

   Extremely popular but also controversial, this Portuguese player won many awards and scored many goals in many tournaments, all the while accumulating some criticism about rough play and "diving," faking falls in front of umpires to get the other team penalized so that his team could take penalty shots. Some authorities rank Ronaldo as the best soccer player in soccer history, although such a claim is debatable. Still, for Portuguese soccer and for Portugal's place in world soccer, having a player with Ronaldo's talent and accomplishments at such a young age, is a rare phenomenon.

(Carvalho Pinto de Sousa)

(1957-)

   Politician, head of the Socialist Party, and prime minister of Portugal. Born in Oporto, Sôcrates lived his early years in Covilha, central Portugal. Trained as a civil engineer, Sôcrates' professional credentials became the subject of a heated political controversy after he became an important politician. The validity of his engineering degree, as well as the academic respectability of the private university at which he had received the disputed credential, were brought into question in the media.

   Sôcrates helped found the youth wing of the Social Democratic Party and, since 1981, has been a member of the Socialist Party.

   His specialty has been environmental affairs, and in the first government of Antônio Guterres, he served as undersecretary of state for the environment. He later became Minister for Youth and Sport in the second Guterres government in 1999. One of his main causes has been to ban smoking in public buildings and public transport and, in January 2008, a law was passed to this effect. (Sôcrates became the target of criticism when it was discovered that he had smoked on a flight from Portugal to Venezuela.) He again became Minister for Youth and Sports and helped organize the 2004 EURO cup ( futebol) in Portugal. He won the post of secretary-general of the Socialist Party in 2004 with a strong vote, and he became prime minister of the XVII constitutional government in March 2005. He was also president-in-office of the European Union during the second half of 2007.