Podcast: Portuguese Football History with Miguel Pereira

My guest is Miguel Lourenço Pereira, who’s written a number of football books, but his latest is his first in English, Bring Me That Horizon. It’s all about getting to know Portugal through its football.

Key Topics of Conversation

1. About Miguel: A journalist and historian from Porto, Miguel has spent years publishing books about football in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil. His latest work marks his first book in English, exploring Portuguese football’s complex identity.
2. Inspiration Behind the Book: Miguel showcases Portuguese football’s rich identity through a combination of road trips across Portugal, detailing the sport’s historical and emotional journey within the country.
3. Portugal’s Football Evolution: Our discussion highlights the late emergence of Portuguese football on the world stage, detailing the sport’s development from amateurism to the success of the 1960s, influenced significantly by players from Portugal’s African colonies.
4. Cândido de Oliveira’s Legacy: We cover the multifaceted life of Cândido de Oliveira, a key figure in Portuguese football history. We look at his roles as a player, coach, journalist, and even an MI5 spy during the dictatorship.
5. Portugal Under Dictatorship: We touch on how the fascist regime’s disinterest and later manipulation of football for political purposes affected the sport’s growth in Portugal.
6. The Golden Generation: The 1990s saw the rise of Portugal’s “Golden Generation”, players who transformed national expectations and pride in Portuguese football, though they fell short of winning major international tournaments.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Impact: Ronaldo’s unprecedented success is discussed, positioning him as possibly the greatest footballer in Portugal’s history, surpassing previous legends like Eusébio.
8. Domestic League Dominance: The dominance of Portugal’s “Big Three” (Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting Clube de Portugal) in domestic football is examined, considering the challenges for other clubs to compete for the title.
9. Football in Madeira: We explore the unique challenges and contributions of Madeira-based clubs to Portuguese football. It’s also the birthplace of Cristiano Ronaldo.
10. Groundhopping Tips: Miguel offers recommendations for football fans interested in exploring Portuguese football beyond the well-trodden paths, including clubs like Estoril, Vitória Guimarães, and Boavista.

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The podcast is sponsored by Pibe de Barrio, the on-the-ground football experts in Buenos Aires, helping you live the Argentine matchday experience.