While Arsenal supporters are unwilling newcomers to the summer party where ‘I hope we don’t lose our star players,’ Portuguese soccer fans are well used to it. As are Ligue 1 fans, Russian Premier League fans and supporters of plenty of other leagues where the top talent always moves on to seemingly bigger and better things. It is a fact of the modern game and won’t change anytime soon.
Since FC Porto’s UEFA Cup win in 2003 the exodus out of Portugal has been very prominent. Like Italy, there is a Big 3 in Portugal, but like Scotland the gap between the top and the rest is massive. Each summer Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Porto search the country and the globe (primarily South America) for the next best thing. This is not because they demand a competitive advantage but moreso because they just sold the last best thing. From Nani, to Luis Fabiano, to Lisandro Lopez and Angel Di Maria the list of players that first became stars in Portugal is endless. And when Radamel Falcao finally leaves Porto, perhaps to Chelsea, you can add another name to the list alongside Fábio Coentrão.
Real Madrid finally bought the highly coveted left-back from Benfica this week for €30 million (nearly $42 million). The 23 year-old became a regular in the Eagles line-up during their title winning 2009-2010 season and worked his way into Carlos Queiroz’s World Cup squad. Coentrão should fit nicely into Jose Mourinho’s squad, although I imagine there’s a pre-season scuffle between him and soon to be out of regular work, left-back Marcelo.
Benfica fans knew they would be losing their boy-band looking wingback eventually, and give the Lisbon outfit credit for timing their mass exodus to not devastate the club. Last season they shipped out Angel Di Maria to Real for a reported €35 million. Chelsea swooped in for midfield maestro Ramires after one stellar season in Portugal, and dropped €22million on the little Brazilian. And of course in January Chelsea came calling again for another Brazilian, this time spending €25 million on Side Show Bob looking centre-back David Luiz.
That’s some pretty good business for Benfica. They made €65 million from Real and €47 million from Chelsea. Not too many teams would be able to do the same and still compete the following season. But historically in Portugal, it works.
This month Porto fans will be biting their nails watching the Copa América. Expecting that Falcao will depart now that mastermind Andre Villas Boas has, there’s a fear that his countryman Fredy Guarin might leave as well if he has a fantastic tournament for Colombia. So far the Porto duo has looked pretty good. Good thing Mano Manezes didn’t call Hulk up to Brazil. Joao Moutinho could finally get his move to the Premier League before the transfer window closes. Christian and James Rodriguez have also been rumoured to leave the Dragao this summer.
Those are just a few notables to watch for. But the real interesting business happens after those stars are sold off and a new list of unknowns comes in as their replacements only to quickly become stars themselves. It’s a somewhat vicious cycle for fans, but one that has been very rewarding so much so that it could be the league’s new motto.
“The Primera Liga ZON Sagres: Exporting never felt so rewarding.”
Unfortunately Brendan is right. The best Portuguese players are being sold and they have been replaced with imports from South America. Now in Portugal some are wondering how come the youth teams … ei, under 19, 21 etc, are so lousy. The answer lies that our youth don’t play in top clubs like … SP Braga, Porto, Benfica … etc … (noticed Sporting absence :)… ) and this will eventually affect our National team “As Quinas”. Too much greed and not enough pride in our football.
Thats not the problem. Youth players all over the world don’t play for top teams unless they’re extraordinary. Nowhere in portugal’s top clubs’ manifests does it state they have to produce and allow young players to play. The problem I think lies with the way a lot of these young players are forced to produce big things early in their careers. A lot of pressure is put on a lot of young players, if they don’t perform they get loaned out for a few seasons then if they still haven’t developed they get sold cheaply to second rate leagues and never live up to their potential. The big clubs in portugal (as with most teams in portugal) rely on import players from south america, etc. Thus, it gets really difficult for the younger home grown talent to get their shots and play, unless the managers think otherwise, etc etc.