Primeira Liga

The Primeira Liga is the top division of Portuguese football. Its 18 teams play home and away, and the title has historically been dominated by the so-called "big three": Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP.

Portugal is one of the world's great exporters of talent, and its league is a regular showcase for South American players who later reach the major leagues. The big three usually collect many points against the rest, so the gap in goals scored and conceded between the top and mid-table is marked. Matches between them, on the other hand, tend to be tight.