Established back in 1938, Taca de Portugal is an annual Portuguese cup competition. As of the 2008/2009 season, Taca de Portugal consists of eight rounds (title game included), with top-flight clubs joining the competition from round 3.
Second-tier clubs join from round 2, whereas third-tier and lower-league teams compete from the beginning.
Clubs face each other in single-leg ties in all Taca de Portugal rounds, except for the semi-finals. Estadio Nacional near Lisbon has been hosting the Portuguese Cup final since 1946.
Lisbon Eagles fly high in Taca de Portugal
Benfica are the most successful club in Taca de Portugal history, with the team clinching their 26th trophy in 2017.
Their bitter local rivals won their 17th Portuguese Cup title in 2019, while Porto sit in third place in the Taca de Portugal all-time winners list with 16 trophies. Porto’s fierce local rivals Boavista have won five Taca de Portugal titles.
Benfica holds the record for the biggest win in the history of the competition, with the capital club rolling over Estoril 8-0 in the 1943/44 season.
The clash between Benfica and Sporting from the 1951/52 season is the game with the most goals scored (5-4). The Lisbon Eagles are the club with the most appearances in the Taca de Portugal final (36).
Seven managers managed to lead their teams to consecutive wins in Taca de Portugal final: Janos Biri (1943 and 1944), Candido de Oliveira (1946 and 1948), Mario Lino (1973 and 1974), John Mortimore (1986 and 1987), Fernando Santos (2000 and 2001), Paulo Bento (2007 and 2008), and Jesualdo Ferreira (2009 and 2010).
Jose Maria Pedroto is the only tactician to have won the competition three times in a row (1975, 1976, and 1977).