{"id":1154844,"date":"2025-07-27T16:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T15:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1154844"},"modified":"2025-07-29T09:25:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T08:25:17","slug":"sporting-lisbon-club-former-players-primeira-liga","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/sporting-lisbon-club-former-players-primeira-liga\/","title":{"rendered":"How Sporting CP could have lined up if they hadn\u2019t sold their star players"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Rarely, if ever, has one club provided a tournament-winning national team with so many of their star players as Sporting CP did for Portugal&#8217;s Euro 2016 team.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the 14 players involved in Portugal&#8217;s historic 1-0 win over France, no fewer than ten progressed through Academia Sporting in Alcochete, the prolific talent factory situated in the Setubal District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That number could have been even higher, too, as Portugal&#8217;s Man of the Match on the night, Pepe, also spent a two-week trial period with Sporting while he was under contract with C.S. Maritimo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Portugal&#8217;s most-capped player and record goalscorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the most famous footballer to have passed through Sporting&#8217;s youth ranks. Many other top-class players have preceded and followed him over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporting are not solely prolific nurturers of talent, though. Like Portugal&#8217;s other big two (Benfica and Porto), they rely upon a broad scouting network that enables them to uncover hidden gems whom they can acquire for relatively little and sell on for a fortune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hanging on to the top talents beyond a season or two is usually impossible for Sporting, but if they had managed to retain their best youth products and bargain acquisitions, their wait for Portugal&#8217;s Primeira Liga wouldn&#8217;t have lasted for two decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-goalkeeper-rui-patricio\">Goalkeeper: Rui Patricio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 37<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Free agent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 464<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> European Championship, Uefa Nations League, Taca de Portugal (x3), Taca da Liga, Supertaca Candido de Oliveira (x3), Europa Conference League<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Young goalkeepers often struggle to establish themselves at a big club because the position historically values experience over youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It says plenty about Rui Patricio&#8217;s ability and temperament that he was guarding Sporting&#8217;s net regularly from the age of just 19, and nearly a decade later, he was closing in on the club&#8217;s all-time appearance record, held by Hil\u00e1rio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He wouldn&#8217;t be able to usurp the legendary left-back, however. Patricio forced a move to Wolves following a 2018 incident where dozens of intruders (purporting to be disgruntled supporters of the club) stormed Sporting&#8217;s training complex and assaulted several players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He helped Wolves secure Europa League qualification twice before linking up with countryman Jose Mourinho at Roma, where he lifted the inaugural Europa Conference League title. The former Portugal international goalkeeper has since represented Atalanta and, for a brief period, Al Ain, who participated in the 2025 Club World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-right-back-pedro-porro\">Right Back: Pedro Porro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 25<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Tottenham Hotspur<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 98<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Primeira Liga, Taca da Liga (x2), Uefa Europa League<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A highly touted young full-back, Pedro Porro, declined offers from Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Bayern Munich to join Girona, from where Manchester City signed him, but the Spaniard never played a single Premier League minute there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Porro was sent out on loan to Valladolid, which helped accelerate Porro&#8217;s development, enabling him to become Sporting&#8217;s first-choice right-back. Once becoming an official member of Sporting&#8217;s team, Porro would move on to Tottenham Hotspur, again on loan first, before establishing himself as one of England&#8217;s top division best in his position.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-centre-back-eric-dier\">Centre Back: Eric Dier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 31<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Monaco<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 31<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Bundesliga<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Eric Dier was the only member of England&#8217;s Euro 2016 squad to have been brought through an academy abroad after he spent nine years with Sporting in Portugal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He joined Spurs in 2014 and spent his first season shuffling between the centre-back and right-back positions, before emerging as an outstanding defensive midfielder in his second campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The native of Cheltenham would soon fall out of favor, ultimately joining Bayern Munich on loan (where he reunited with former Spurs teammate Harry Kane) before signing on a permanent basis and ultimately winning his first piece of silverware, the club&#8217;s latest Bundesliga crown, but that proved to be Dier&#8217;s final contribution, with him now set to embark on a new adventure with Monaco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-centre-back-marcos-rojo\">Centre Back: Marcos Rojo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 35<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Boca Juniors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 61<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Copa Libertadores, Argentine Primera Division, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Uefa Europa League, Copa Argentina, Copa de la Liga Profesional<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporting have signed numerous Argentinian left-backs in the past, including Emiliano Insua and Jonathan Silva, but Marcos Rojo has so far been the most successful of the lot, though he could also play in central defence, which is where you find him in this hypothetical lineup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rojo joined them from Spartak Moscow in 2012 and enjoyed an excellent couple of seasons in Portugal before leaving for Manchester United in a lucrative transfer shortly after the 2014 World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His career at Old Trafford was nothing short of topsy-turvy. Although he has collected numerous pieces of silverware, he spent time on loan at his boyhood club, Estudiantes, before joining Boca Juniors permanently, where his career is enjoying a second wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-left-back-nuno-mendes\">Left Back: Nuno Mendes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Paris Saint-Germain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 47<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Primeira Liga, Taca da Liga, Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, Ligue 1 (x4), Coupe de France (x2), Trophee des Champions (x2), Champions League, Uefa Nations League<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Growing up idolising David Alaba and Marcelo, one can make a strong case that, following an incredible 2024-25 season where he enjoyed collective success with Paris Saint-Germain, the former Sporting CP academy graduate, Nuno Mendes, is Europe&#8217;s best left-back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He dazzled in their record Champions League final victory over Inter Milan, subsequently named to the competition&#8217;s team of the season, before playing an integral role in Portugal&#8217;s second Nations League success. From an attacking perspective, it was Mendes&#8217; most prolific with five goals across 53 matches in all competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During his three seasons at Sporting, where everyone recognised his potential, Mendes contributed only one goal. However, from a defensive perspective, the native of Sintra feels more complete after successfully marking players like Lamine Yamal, Mohamed Salah, and Bukayo Saka on the way to PSG&#8217;s historic triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"article-page__title\">Dabble sign-up offer: <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Not signed up to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/dabble-sign-up-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dabble<\/a> yet? Here's how to claim the <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b> welcome offer:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Sign up to Dabble through this <a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\">link<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Register your account with accurate personal details<\/li>\r\n<li>Place your first bet of \u00a310 or more<\/li>\r\n<li>Receive your \u00a310 in free bets when your qualifying bet has setted<\/li>\r\n<li>Use your Free Bet on any eligible sportsbook market within 7 days<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1423518 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-320x267.png 320w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-240x200.png 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-72x60.png 72w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-150x125.png 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-40x33.png 40w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822.png 712w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>#AD 18+ 7-day free bet expiry. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply.\u00a0<a class=\"c-link\" href=\"http:\/\/gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"http:\/\/GambleAware.org\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">GambleAware.org<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-centre-midfield-bruno-fernandes\"><strong>Centre <\/strong>Midfield: Bruno Fernandes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 30<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Manchester United<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 137<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Uefa Nations League (x2), Taca de Portugal, Taca da Liga, FA Cup, EFL Cup<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The club&#8217;s most recent homegrown superstar. Fernandes, who came through at Novara but spent four seasons in Serie A (playing for Udinese and then Sampdoria) before returning home with Sporting. The rest was history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cerebral midfielder became a regular source of goals, with his second campaign seeing him bag 33 across 53 appearances in all competitions. This piqued Manchester United&#8217;s interest, but they had to wait a while before making him the latest Sporting star to make Old Trafford his home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He&#8217;s been worth it. Fernandes has netted 98 goals and created 86 more in 209 appearances for the Red Devils. In a period of underperformance, the Portuguese international has arguably been United&#8217;s most outstanding player, and it hasn&#8217;t been close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-centre-midfield-joao-palhinha\">Centre Midfield: Joao Palhinha<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 30<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Bayern Munich<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 95<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Taca da Liga (x3), Primeira Liga, Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, Bundesliga, Uefa Nations League<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Jo\u00e3o Palhinha progressed through the academy to become Sporting&#8217;s deep-lying midfielder in 2016. He was a regular starter for the team before eventually leaving for Fulham, following loan spells at the Portuguese clubs Moreirense, Belenenses, and Braga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Fulham, Palhinha established himself with a no-nonsense approach and was praised for his excellent ball-winning abilities. However, he also became known for frequently receiving yellow cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He has since transferred to Bayern Munich, a club that had long sought his talents. However, since moving to Germany, he has often been sidelined due to physical issues and has faced tough competition from Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, and Aleksandar Pavlovic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-right-wing-raphinha\">Right Wing: Raphinha<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1535\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1154852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1.jpg 1535w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/29145407\/1154844_1154844_PA-Raphinha-1-66x44.jpg 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1535px) 100vw, 1535px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 28<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Barcelona<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 41<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Taca de Portugal, Taca da Liga, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana (x2)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Raphinha would enjoy one full season in Lisbon before Stade Rennais broke the bank for the Brazilian&#8217;s signature. It was a short but sweet spell with the Lions, whom he helped win two major pieces of silverware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He contributed five goals, three assists, and 42 chances (more than any teammate) in the Rennes team that finished third by Ligue 1&#8217;s points-per-game standings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raphinha soon joined Leeds, where he developed under the tutelage of Marcelo Bielsa, which earned him interest from several bigger clubs; Barcelona ultimately secured his signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has since proved to be a marriage made in heaven, with Raphinha playing an integral role in Barcelona&#8217;s resurgence in the post-Messi era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-second-striker-viktor-gyokeres\">Second striker: Viktor Gyokeres<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 27<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Arsenal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 102<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Superettan, Primeira Liga (x2), Taca de Portugal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the departure of Bas Dost in 2019 after the Dutch marksman bagged 93 goals for Sporting CP across 127 matches in all competitions, it didn&#8217;t take long for the Portuguese giants to acquire a goalscorer of similar repute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having enjoyed a journeyman-like career where he never played a single minute of league football at Brighton &amp; Hove Albion (subsequently being loaned out to St. Pauli, Swansea City, and Coventry City before joining the latter on a permanent basis), the Stockholm-born striker left Coventry following their failure to gain Premier League promotion for Sporting, where he became a revelation and further reinforced the reputation he built in England&#8217;s second division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This naturally led to interest from several of Europe&#8217;s top clubs, with Arsenal ultimately winning out after the Swede had netted 54 goals in 52 outings during the 2024-25 season, in addition to 43 in 50 the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-left-wing-rafael-leao\">Left wing: Rafael Leao<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 26<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> AC Milan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 4<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> Taca da Liga, Serie A, Supercoppa Italiana, Uefa Nations League<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Rafael Leao, unlike many members of this hypothetical team, had a limited impact during his time with Sporting&#8217;s first team. He spent nearly a decade in their youth setup, but in the 2017-18 season, he only made three league appearances and scored one goal for the Lisbon club. After that season, he joined Lille, where he played for one year before moving to AC Milan. Since joining the <em>Rossoneri<\/em>, the Portuguese forward has scored 55 goals in 198 league matches, celebrated a Serie A title, and established himself as a key player on Portugal&#8217;s national team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-striker-cristiano-ronaldo\">Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-1154989\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"1101\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min.jpg\" alt=\"Cristiano Ronaldo signs autographs after his Manchester United unveiling.\" class=\"wp-image-1154989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min.jpg 936w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min-255x300.jpg 255w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min-871x1024.jpg 871w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min-768x903.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/07\/30171505\/1154844_1154844_PA-1781180-min-55x65.jpg 55w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Age:<\/strong> 40<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Current Club:<\/strong> Al-Nassr<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sporting Apps:<\/strong> 31<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Major Honours:<\/strong> European Championship, UEFA Nations League (x2), Superta\u00e7a C\u00e2ndido de Oliveira, Premier League (x3), FA Cup, EFL Cup (x2), Champions League (x5), Fifa Club World Cup (x4), La Liga (x2), Copa del Rey (x2), Supercopa de Espana (x2), Uefa Super Cup (x2), Serie A (x2), Supercoppa Italiana, Coppa Italia, Arab Club Champions Cup<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporting&#8217;s record for producing top-class wingers is staggering. Luis Figo, Simao Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma, and Nani all passed through their ranks. But the greatest of all, and the man you came to see, is undoubtedly the three-time Ballon d&#8217;Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ronaldo played just one full season in Lisbon before being signed by Manchester United in 2003, at the age of 18. The story goes that Man Utd&#8217;s players were so impressed by the youngster in a pre-season friendly, they urged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Manchester, Ronaldo became a European Champion and the best player in the world, culminating in a then record-breaking \u00a380m move to Real Madrid in 2009. He hasn&#8217;t done too badly over in the Spanish capital either, it must be said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After helping <em>Los Blancos<\/em> win four Champions League crowns, he took his talents to Juventus. There, he won Serie A twice before an ill-fated return to United, which led to him becoming one of the first big names to relocate to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Nassr benefiting from his services even as he enters his fourth decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1392511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-214x267.jpg 214w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-48x60.jpg 48w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-120x150.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI-32x40.jpg 32w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2020\/07\/27155551\/Sporting-XI.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Honourable Mentions: <\/strong>Andre Carillo, Bruma, Santiago Arias, Adrien Silva, Miguel Veloso, Danny, Ricardo Quaresma, Teofilo Gutierrez, Daniel Carrico, Nani, Merih Demiral, Bas Dost, Jose Fonte<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rarely, if ever, has one club provided a tournament-winning national team with so many of their star players as Sporting CP did for Portugal&#8217;s Euro 2016 team. Of the 14 players involved in Portugal&#8217;s historic 1-0 win over France, no fewer than ten progressed through Academia Sporting in Alcochete, the prolific talent factory situated in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":202,"featured_media":1392512,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Rarely, if ever, has one club provided a winning national team with so many of its star players as Sporting did to Portugal's Euro 2016 team.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1154844","cult-corner","type-cult-corner","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Sporting CP could have lined up if they hadn\u2019t sold their star players | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rarely, if ever, has one club provided a winning national team with so many of its star players as Sporting did to Portugal&#039;s Euro 2016 team.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/sporting-lisbon-club-former-players-primeira-liga\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Sporting CP could have lined up if they hadn\u2019t sold their star players\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rarely, if ever, has one club provided a winning national team with so many of its star players as Sporting did to Portugal&#039;s Euro 2016 team.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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