Do the Rancho!

By: Greg | March 21st, 2007

I spent a few idle minutes giving serious consideration to why Portuguese soccer isn’t more popular worldwide. Rancho dancing and the associated traditional garb aside, I struggled mightily to come up with more than a handful of reasons why it’s the red-headed stepchild of world club soccer.

The country and league itself have spawned great players past and present from Eusebio to Cristiano Ronaldo. Heck, Porto won the coveted UEFA Champions League a mere three years ago! It was in consideration of these very facts that the biggest reason hit me: everybody cuts their teeth in Portugal and then heads for much greener pa$tures.

Jose Mourinho managed Porto to the aforementioned Champions League glory then promptly cashed in with a move to my beloved Chelsea the very next year. Mourinho quickly proceeded to dismantle the nucleus of Porto’s championship defense by taking with him Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira. Manchester United plucked Cristiano Ronaldo from the ranks of Sporting at the tender age of 19. Ronaldo, when he’s not in his most familiar of positions, is one of the best in the world. These players and the Special One are now instrumental cogs in their teams which are top of the vaunted English Premier League table.

Now far be it from me to claim that talent poaching is the sole reason why the world seems largely to be disinterested in Portuguese club soccer. I mean Simao, Quaresma, and sensational goalkeeper Ricardo still ply their trade in Spain’s little Iberian neighbor. So why the continued apathy? Consider the following:

For one who wanted to begin following the league, the next step, logically, would be to say “Okay! I’m ready to get into a Portuguese club team, which one should I choose to support?” I would love to say that picking one of the top three (Benfica, Porto, or Sporting) makes you no better than the latest crop of “fans” Chelsea have inherited. But honestly, I can’t say that. Try getting excited about Boavista. There’s nothing wrong really with the quality of football at Boavista. I just hope you speak Portuguese, since Boavista, like every other team NOT in the top three, has a website which is ENTIRELY in Portuguese. Want to watch the team on TV? You had better hope they’re playing Porto, Sporting, or Benfica, otherwise you can forget it. This not only goes for those living internationally, but for Portuguese natives as well.

What it all really comes down to is money. It costs money to keep talent, to have a multi-lingual website, and to be able to televise non-Big 3 games. So in the meantime, until an infusion of money comes in, support one of the top three teams and learn Portuguese. Even if your new-found knowledge of Portuguese doesn’t drive you to becoming the next big Boavista fan, I know a few people you might be a fan of who speak the language…