Top 10 must-see Portuguese personalities

March 29, 2019

If you’re going to live in Portugal, knowing its culture is essential. In my articles, I try to tell you regularly about Portugal’s many riches: its monuments, its azulejos, its calçadas, its beaches, its colorful houses, its fado, etc. But Portugal’s heritage is also made up of men and women who, thanks to their talents, have made a name for themselves and, for some of them, even a name for themselves. But Portugal’s heritage is also made up of men and women who, thanks to their talents, have made a name for themselves and, for some of them, have gone on to conquer Europe and even the world beyond Portugal’s borders. So, today, I’m sharing with you my top 10 must-see Portuguese personalities.

Portuguese personalities who excel in different fields: singing, acting, writing, sport, sailing, etc. Discovering Portugal through these talents can be a great way to learn more about Portugal. For example, enrich your Portuguese vocabulary through a Portuguese song, understand where some of Portugal’s riches come from through the history of Portuguese navigation, understand the Portuguese attachment to soccer through the history of certain sportsmen and women, etc.

Before I incur the wrath of some, I should point out that my list is not exhaustive, and some great Portuguese personalities are not mentioned. Please feel free to comment on the ones that aren’t mentioned, so that as many readers as possible can know about them. 🙂

I. The singers

Before I list a few well-known Portuguese singers, I’d like to share with you two of my favorite Portuguese songs: Ana Moura ‘s ” Desfado ” and Carolina Deslandes ‘ ” A vida toda “. Do you like them too?(Come on, tell me, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t!)

1. Amália Rodrigues: a rainha do Fado (the Queen of Fado)

Amália Rodrigues, born in 1920 in Lisbon’s Alcântara district, is one of Portugal’s most famous personalities! Amália is a famous fado singer, you know, that nostalgic song that makes the hairs on your arms stand on end. In 1939, she began singing in Lisbon’s “fado houses”, notably at the Retiro da Severa club.

With her magnificent voice and fado gestures: closed eyes and nostalgic expression, she conquered the world and represented Portugal from London to Rio, via New York, Rome, Tokyo, Paris, Mexico City and more. In 1947, she sang in Paris for the first time, at Carrère, a chic Parisian nightclub. Then in London and even in the United States on the famous American NBC network. In 1955, Amália made her acting debut in Henri Verneuil‘s Les Amants du Tage. In 1956, she sold out the legendary Olympia stage in Paris.

In 1990, she was awarded the Legion of Honor by the President of the Republic, Mario Soares. She died in Lisbon in 1999 and was inducted into the Lisbon National Pantheon. She was the first woman to be inducted.

Portrait of Amália Rodrigues “inked” on a sidewalk in Lisbon’s Alfama district, by the talented Portuguese artist Vhils.

2. Tony Carreira: the Portuguese Julio Iglesias

António Manuel Mateus Antunes, aka Tony Carreira, is another of Portugal’s must-see personalities. He was born in 1963 in Armadouro(80 km from Coimbra). A bit like the Portuguese Julio Iglesias, he melts the hearts of many women and touches several generations. Tony Carreira has won over a wide audience: Portuguese and French speakers alike, as he sings in both Portuguese and French. French? Yes, because Tony Carreira speaks French thanks to his background, which is identical to that of many Portuguese, since he is a child of Portuguese immigration.

He arrived in France in Dourdan(Essonne) at the age of 10. He worked in France as a laborer in a salting factory, but at the same time developed his passion for singing by performing at Portuguese balls organized in France. It was ” late in life “, around the age of 30, that his life changed and his dream of becoming a singer came true.

In 1988, he recorded his first single ” Uma Noite A teu Lado ” (a night by your side) as part of his participation in the Prémio Nacional de Música de Figueira da Foz. In 1990, he released his first album, which included the first single ” Verão em Portugal “(Summer in Portugal). But the album that really put him on the map was “Ai destino, Ai destino” (ah mon destin, ah mon destin) . He sold out numerous venues in France, including the legendary Zenith in Paris and the Olympia. In 2000, he moved to Portugal with his wife and 3 children: Mickael, David and Sara. Today, his two sons David and Mickael are following in their father’s footsteps, as they too are singers and have inherited their father’s charm. Ladies, you’re not going to tell me otherwise, are you?

Singer Tony Carreira and his two sons: Mickael (left) and David (right).

3. Lio: the brunette who doesn’t count for anything!

Wanda Maria Ribeiro Furtado Tavares de Vasconcelos … with a name like that, there’s no doubt that Lio is a true Portuguese!

Lio was born in June 1962, in Mangualde, near Viseu in Portugal. Her doctor grandfather, Dino, gave birth to her. Her father was a Portuguese officer from one of Portugal’s most aristocratic families, and her mother was an agrégée in philosophy. Her parents separated, and in 1968, Lio followed her mother to Charleroi in Belgium.

While a student in Brussels, she met Jacques Duvall, an author and composer. Wanda took the pseudonym Lio, in reference to a character in the comic strip ” Barbarella “. Lio’s talent as a singer and dancer appealed to the lyricist, who wrote her a song you’re probably familiar with: bananana bananana….. Banana split. After several rejections from record companies, Banana split was finally produced and released in 1979. It was an immediate success, selling over 2 million copies. From then on, Lio went from strength to strength. In 1986, Lio scored another big hit with the album Pop Model, which included the hit “Les brunes comptent pas pour des prunes“(produced by Alain Chamfort, her partner at the time).

As for her private life, Lio is the happy mother of 6 children: 4 girls and 2 boys(Nubia, Igor, Esmeralda, the twins Garance and Léa et Diego).

The singer Lio.

II. Footballers

4. Cristiano Ronaldo: the star of the game

I don’t know about you, but when I travel and say I live in Portugal, the response is always: “Portugal? Cristiano Ronaldo! It’s amazing how Portugal is directly associated with Ronaldo all over the world. Do the test yourself and ask someone you know to name a famous Portuguese, and they’ll probably quote Ronaldo! It has to be said that the man nicknamed CR7 is one of the best soccer players in the world, and consequently one of Portugal’s leading personalities!

Goloooo! Footballer Ronaldo celebrating a goal.

Born in 1985 in Funchal, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, he came from a modest family. At the age of 11, he joined the training center of the famous Lisbon club Sporting Clube Portugal. At 17, he joined Sporting’s senior team. During a match between his club and Manchester United, Cristiano was spotted by the great Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s coach at the time, who recruited him into his team. In 2009, he signed for Real Madrid for 94 million euros. A huge sum, but don’t forget that Ronaldo’s image also generates huge financial returns for the club via image contracts. In 2018, after 9 years with Real Madrid, yes! 9 years! He joins Juventus, the legendary Italian club. Along with Messi, Ronaldo is the player who has received the most Golden Ball awards: an accolade for footballers. He has received this precious award five times, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

In his private life, Cristiano is the father of 5 children. Three surrogate children, Cristiano Junior and twins Eva and Matéo. And the youngest: Alana Martina, whom he had with his current partner Georgina Rodriguez.

Madeira airport bears Ronaldo’s name and a bust of him has been installed. This bust has caused quite a stir, as the first one (on the left of the photo) was not very flattering, and has been replaced by the one on the right, which is more representative.

5. José Mourinho: the “special one

José Mourinho is a famous soccer coach born in 1963 in Setúbal, south of Lisbon. Today, he lives in Troia(opposite Setubal) and remains loyal to his beloved club: Vitória Setubal. In fact, I met him several times in the Setubalense stands. And the city has done him proud by dedicating an avenue in his name on the seafront: Avenida José Mourinho. What class!

One might have said that his destiny was already mapped out! Indeed, you know the famous adage: “dogs don’t make cats”, and it’s well suited to José Mourinho. He fell into soccer at an early age! As a child, he attended his father’s soccer training sessions. As he grew up, he began to play soccer, but soon stopped. However, Mourinho stayed in soccer. Thanks to his language skills (he speaks Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and Italian), in 1992 he joined Sporting Lisbon as a translator to help the team’s new star coach: Bobby Robson. In 2000, it was consecration! He became coach of one of Portugal’s biggest clubs, SLB (Benfica), before moving on to the country’s other big club, FC Porto, in 2002. With José Mourinho at the helm, FC Porto won the Portuguese Cup, the UEFA Cup, the Portuguese Supercup, the UEFA Supercup and the Champions League (against AS Monaco). Wahouuu! What a record!

His coaching skills and strong character were quickly noticed in the soccer world. He was spotted by some of the world’s biggest clubs, and it was to England that he next headed, to the legendary English club Chelsea, where he became the world’s highest-paid coach. In 2008, he signed forInter Milan, before joining Real Madrid in 2010. In June 2013, he returned to Chelsea and finally, in 2016, to Manchester United. There are rumours that he will be in Ligue 1(France) next year… To be continued!

José Mourinho has won numerous awards, including that of world’s best club coach with four different teams: Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid. Parabéns! (“Congratulations” in Portuguese)

José Mourinho, soccer coach.

III. The players

6. Joaquim de Almeida: a Portuguese in Hollywood

Joaquim de Almeida is a great Portuguese actor. And yet, the name may not ring a bell! If I tell you about the film ” The Gilded Cage “, will it ring a bell? You know that comedy that caused a sensation a few years ago in France and Portugal?(By the way, if you haven’t seen this film, I recommend it! A light, funny film about a family of Portuguese immigrants living in France). In this hit comedy, Joaquim de Almeida plays the main character: a site foreman.

Actor Joaquim de Almeida in The Gilded Cage.

But his CV doesn’t stop there! It’s not just in France and Portugal that this actor is making his mark. Joaquim de Almeida is an actor of worldwide renown, having appeared in American blockbusters such as ” Fast and Furious 5 ” and ” In Enemy Territory “, in which he co-stars alongside such big names as Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson. In terms of series, his CV is equally impressive: “Mentalist”, “Bones” and “24 heures Chrono”.

Actor Joaquim de Almeida in Fast & Furious.

7. Daniela Ruah: hands up!

Daniela Ruah, the odd-eyed Portuguese actress(her left eye is brown, the other is black) was born in Boston in 1983 to Portuguese parents. When she was 5, her family moved back to Portugal, to Carcavelos near Lisbon.

At the age of 16, in parallel with her studies, she began her acting career in a Portuguese telenovela called Jardins Proibidos. She went on to star in several Portuguese series. Her popularity in Portugal led her to take part in the first season of Dança Comigo(the Portuguese version of Danse avec les stars), and she even won the competition!

In 2007, she moved to New York to study at the Lee strasberg theatre and film institute. Her hard work paid off, as in 2009, she joined the famous police series NCIS: Los Angeles in the role of Kensi, one of the series’ main characters. The series was such a success that the actress won the equivalent of the Portuguese Golden Globes for Revelation of the Year, was nominated for an Emmy Award and won the TV Action Icon Award for Best Actress in an Action Series. She was also chosen to present the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon in 2018.

Actress Daniela Ruah in NCIS Los Angeles.

8. Luis Rego: a Portuguese “bronzed” man

Actor and musician Luis Rego was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in May 1943. Luis Rego spent his childhood in Lisbon. In 1960, at the age of 17, he arrived in Paris to escape the Portuguese military service, which wanted to send him to Angola. In France, he began a career as a guitarist and joined the group “Les Problèmes”, but was arrested for desertion and had to return to Portugal. After serving his prison sentence, he returned to France and rejoined his band, which changed its name to ” Les Charlots “. The group was so successful that it was chosen by the legendary Rolling Stones to open their concerts in France. Despite this success, in 1971 Luis Rego left “Les Charlots” and began a career as an actor.

He appeared in some thirty films, mainly comedies such as “La course à l’échalote”, “Les hommes préfèrent les grosses” and “La vengeance du serpent à plumes”. But the role we all remember him for is undoubtedly that of Bobo, the vacation club host in Les Bronzés!

Actor Luis Rego alias “Bobo” in Les Bronzés.

IV. Other

9. Sara Sampaio: a Portuguese angel

Hailing from the suburbs of Porto, Sara Sampaio is a former student of applied mathematics. With her tapered legs and sculpted body, she leaves no one indifferent. Her beauty was spotted and she quickly became a renowned model. But her crowning achievement came in 2015 when she became a Victoria’s Secret Angel, the ultimate title for models.

Today, the Portuguese model is one of the most sought-after models in the world. From Paris to Milan to New York, the beauty is seen on every catwalk. Versace, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, etc. all the major designers are snapping her up. Her Portuguese beauty has gone far beyond Portugal’s borders, putting Portugal on the global fashion map.

Model Sara Sampaio.

10. Luís de Camões: the poet

From Fernando Pessoa to José Saramago, Portuguese literature boasts many talents, including Luís de Camões, considered one of Portugal’s greatest poets and one of the country’s most influential personalities! He was born in Lisbon in 1524. He studied at Coimbra and in 1547 left for Morocco as a soldier. He then returned to Lisbon, but in 1552 he was imprisoned for wounding a member of the king’s household. After his release, he moved to Goa in Asia, where he began to write much of his ” Os Lusíadas “. From 1556 to 1560, he traveled around Asia by boat(Macao, Moluccas, Canton). He was shipwrecked in Cambodia and, according to legend, lost everything but managed to save his manuscript. After numerous trips to Goa and Mozambique, he returned to Portugal in 1569. In 1572, he finally published his manuscript: “Os Lusíadas”, a long poem recounting Vasco de Gama’s voyage to India. Camões’ story is considered the most important work of Portuguese literary heritage. For those who would like to read this work, please note that it exists in French under the title “Les Lusiades”. This is not an easy work to read.

Camões is such a major figure in Portugal that one of Lisbon’s most emblematic squares is dedicated to him. A 4-metre statue of the poet dominates the Praça Luís de Camões, located between Chiado and Bairro Alto. Not far from this square is another great name in Portuguese literature. In fact, take a few steps and you can enjoy a drink with Fernando Pessoa, another great Portuguese poet, at the terrace of the famous café ” A Brasileira “.

Praça Luís de Camões, Lisbon

10 1. Vasco da Gama: the conquistador

I’d come to 10 must-see Portuguese personalities, but I couldn’t finish without mentioning Vasco da Gama. So he’ll be my “10 1”! Vasco da Gama, a name known the world over and featured in every history book! An emblematic man for Portugal, who influenced the country’s entire history. He was born around 1469 in Sines, in Portugal’s Alentejo region. In 1497, the King of Portugal commissioned Vasco da Gama to open the route to India, just a few years after Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America.

He left Lisbon with a fleet of four ships: the São Gabriel, São Rafael, Berrio and a supply ship. Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut, India, a year after leaving Portugal. He developed trade links there. He returned to Portugal, then quickly set off again on the spice route, founding several Portuguese colonies. On his return, he settled in Evora, Alentejo, with his entire family. For some twenty years, he made no further trips. Already named “Admiral of India”, in 1524 he received the title of Viceroy of India. He died in Cochin on his last voyage to India. Vasco da Gama spent his life sailing in search of unknown lands. He was the first European to land in India by sea, in 1498.

In Lisbon’s Belém district, at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of Discoveries), you can see a statue of Vasco da Gama among other Portuguese navigators.

In conclusion

As you’ve seen, Portuguese personalities abound. And some of them have conquered the world! Getting to know these Portuguese personalities will help you immerse yourself more fully in Portuguese culture. As I said in my introduction, I haven’t been able to name them all. Here are a few other great names from Portugal: Magellan, Fernando Pessoa, José Saramago, Eusebio, Figo, Jorge Mendes, Linda de suza, Mariza, Maria de Medeiros, José Barroso, etc.

And for you, which Portuguese personalities most represent Portugal?

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