Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest
This article looks at the history of Portugal as a participant in the Eurovision Song Contest .
Regularity of participation
Portugal has been participating in the competition regularly since 1964 . Only in the competitions 1970 , 2000 , 2002 , 2013 and 2016 there was no Portuguese entry. In 1970 the country did not take part in protest against the rating system, and in 2000 it was not allowed to submit an entry due to poor placements in the previous year. In 2002 Portugal voluntarily decided not to participate. In 2013 financial difficulties led to the voluntary waiver, in 2016 there were restructuring within the station RTP . In 2017 Portugal took part again and won.
Success in competition
Until 1970 Portugal always ended up in the lower half of the table. Among other things, the country took a - shared - last place in its ESC debut in 1964 and a - also shared - penultimate place in 1965. Portugal is the only country besides Lithuania that did not receive a single point on its debut. From 1970 to 1990 the results were average, the best results were two seventh places (1972 and 1980) and two ninth places (1971 and 1979). Up to and including 2004, Portugal's results fluctuated significantly. Although the country was placed in the top 10 four times (1991, 1993, 1994 and 1996), this contrasted with five places in the top five (1990, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2003). Because of the poor placement in 1999, Portugal had to take a break in 2000.
After the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Portugal failed to make it to the final for four years - in 2007 it was very close to eleventh place in the semi-finals. From 2008 Portugal qualified for the final three years in a row. The rankings 13, 15 and 18 achieved there remained within the Portuguese average. There were again four participations without reaching the finals; In 2014, Portugal was only just eliminated from the semi-finals with one point missing behind San Marino. Overall, only 7 of 51 entries landed in the front half of the table, i.e. among the top 13. This makes Portugal one of the rather unsuccessful countries at the ESC. The country was able to achieve its first victory through Salvador Sobral with his song Amar pelos dois 2017 with the 49th participation in the competition, with 758 points it was the most successful victory of all time and the highest number of points ever achieved. However, this seemed to remain an exceptional success for the time being, because the following year Portugal took last place as hosts and the following year they were eliminated third from last in the semi-finals.
List of posts
Color legend: - 1st place. - 2nd place. - 3rd place. - Equal points with last place. - Eliminated in the semifinals / in the qualification / in the Eastern European preliminary decision. - no participation / not qualified. - Cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest.
year | Interpreter | Title Music (M) and Text (T) |
language | translation | final | Semi-final / qualification |
National preliminary decision |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
space | Points | space | Points | ||||||
1964 | António Calvário |
Oração M: João Nobre; T: Francisco Nicholson, Rogério Braçinha |
Portuguese | prayer | 13/16 | 0 | Direct participation | Festival da Canção 1964 | |
1965 | Simone de Oliveira |
Sol de inverno M: Carlos Nobrega e Sousa; T: Jeronimo Bragança |
Portuguese | Winter sun | 13/18 | 1 | Festival da Canção 1965 | ||
1966 | Madalena Iglésias |
Ele e ela M / T: Carlos Canelhas |
Portuguese | He and she | 13/18 | 6th | Festival da Canção 1966 | ||
1967 | Eduardo Nascimento |
O vento mudou M: Nuño Nazareth Fernandes; T: João Magalhães Pereira |
Portuguese | The wind has turned | 12/17 | 3 | Festival da Canção 1967 | ||
1968 | Carlos Mendes |
Verão M: Pedro Osório; T: José Alberto Diogo |
Portuguese | summer | 11/17 | 5 | Festival da Canção 1968 | ||
1969 | Simone de Oliveira |
Desfolhada portuguesa M: Nuño Nazareth Fernandes; T: José Carlos Ary dos Santos |
Portuguese | Heavy loss | 15/16 | 4th | Festival da Canção 1969 | ||
1970 | No participation | ||||||||
1971 | Tonicha |
Menina do alto da serra M: Nuño Nazareth Fernandes; T: José Carlos Ary dos Santos |
Portuguese | The girl from the highlands | 9/18 | 83 | Direct participation | Festival da Canção 1971 | |
1972 | Carlos Mendes |
A festa da vida M: José Calvário ; T: José Niza |
Portuguese | The festival of life | 7/18 | 90 | Festival da Canção 1972 | ||
1973 | Fernando Tordo |
Tourada M: Fernando Tordo; T: José Carlos Ary dos Santos |
Portuguese | Bullfight | 10/17 | 80 | Festival da Canção 1973 | ||
1974 | Paulo de Carvalho |
E depois do Adeus M: José Calvário; T: José Niza |
Portuguese | And after saying goodbye | 14/17 | 3 | Festival da Canção 1974 | ||
1975 | Duarte Mendes |
Madrugada M / T: José Luis Tinoco |
Portuguese | Morning hour | 16/19 | 16 | Festival da Canção 1975 | ||
1976 | Carlos do Carmo |
Uma flor de verde pinho M: José Niza; T: Manuel Alegre |
Portuguese | A pine green flower | 12/18 | 24 | Festival da Canção 1976 | ||
1977 | Os amigos |
Portugal no coração M: Fernando Tordo; T: José Carlos Ary dos Santos |
Portuguese | Portugal in the heart | 14/18 | 18th | Festival da Canção 1977 | ||
1978 | Gemini |
Dai li dou M: Victor Maméde; T: Carlos Quintas |
Portuguese | - | 17/20 | 5 | Festival da Canção 1978 | ||
1979 | Manuela Bravo |
Sobe, sobe, balão sobe M / T: Carlos Nobrega e Sousa |
Portuguese | Rise, balloon, rise | 9/19 | 64 | Festival da Canção 1979 | ||
1980 | José Cid |
Um grande, grande amor M / T: José Cid |
Portuguese | A great, great love | 7/19 | 71 | Festival da Canção 1980 | ||
1981 | Carlos Paião |
Play-back M / T: Carlos Paião |
Portuguese | - | 18/20 | 9 | Festival da Canção 1981 | ||
1982 | Doce |
Bem bom M / T: António A. Pinho, Tózé Brito, Pedro Brito |
Portuguese | Well | 13/18 | 32 | Festival da Canção 1982 | ||
1983 | Armando Gama |
Esta balada que te dou M / T: Armando Gama |
Portuguese | I'll give you this ballad | 13/20 | 33 | Festival da Canção 1983 | ||
1984 | Maria Guinot |
Silêncio e tanta gente M / T: Maria Guinot |
Portuguese | Silence and so many people | 11/19 | 38 | Festival da Canção 1984 | ||
1985 | Adelaide |
Penso em ti, eu be M: Tózé Brito; T: Adelaïde Ferreira, Luis Fernando |
Portuguese | I think about you i know | 18/19 | 9 | Festival da Canção 1985 | ||
1986 | Dora |
Não sejas mau para mim M / T: Guilherme Inês, Zé da Ponte & Luis Oliveira |
Portuguese | Do not be mad at me | 14/20 | 28 | Festival da Canção 1986 | ||
1987 | Nevada |
Neste barco à vela M: Alfredo Azinheira, Jorge Mendes; T: Alfredo Azinheira |
Portuguese | In this sailboat | 18/22 | 15th | Festival da Canção 1987 | ||
1988 | Dora |
Voltarei M / T: José Calvário, José Niza |
Portuguese | I will turn back | 18/21 | 5 | Festival da Canção 1988 | ||
1989 | Da Vinci |
Conquistador M: Ricardo; T: Pedro Luis |
Portuguese | conqueror | 16/22 | 39 | Festival da Canção 1989 | ||
1990 | Nucha |
Há semper alguém M: Jan van Dijck, Luis Filipe; T: Fancisco Teotonio Pereira, Frederico Teotonio Pereira |
Portuguese | There is always someone there | 20/22 | 9 | Festival da Canção 1990 | ||
1991 | Dulce Pontes |
Lusitana paixão M: Jorge Quintela, Zé da Ponte; T: Fred Micael, Zé da Ponte |
Portuguese | Lusitanian passion | 8/22 | 62 | Festival da Canção 1991 | ||
1992 | Dina |
Amor d'água fresca M: Ondina Veloso; T: Rosa Lobato de Faria |
Portuguese | Freshwater love | 17/23 | 26th | Festival da Canção 1992 | ||
1993 | Anabela |
A cidade (até ser dia) M / T: Paulo de Carvalho , Marco Quelhas, Pedro Abrantes |
Portuguese | The city (until dawn) | 10/25 | 60 | Festival da Canção 1993 | ||
1994 | Sara Tavares |
Chamar a música M: João Carlos Campos de Sousa Mota Oliveira; T: Rosa Lobato de Faria |
Portuguese | Call the music | 8/25 | 73 | Qualified directly for the final | Festival da Canção 1994 | |
1995 | To Cruz |
Baunilha e chocolate M: António Vitorino d'Almeida ; T: António Vitorino d'Almeida, Rosa Lobato de Faria |
Portuguese | Vanilla and chocolate | 21/23 | 5 | Festival da Canção 1995 | ||
1996 | Lúcia Moniz |
O meu coração not temp cor M: Pedro Osório; T: José Fanha |
Portuguese | My heart has no color | 6/23 | 92 | 18/29 | 32 | Festival da Canção 1996 |
1997 | Celia Lawson |
Antes do adeus M: Rodrigues Lobato de Faria, Thilo Krassman; T: Rosa Maria de Bettencourt, Rosa Lobato de Faria |
Portuguese | Before parting | 24/25 | 0 | Qualified directly for the final | Festival da Canção 1997 | |
1998 | Alma Lusa |
Se eu te pudesse abraçar M / T: José Cid |
Portuguese | If i could hug you | 12/25 | 36 | Festival da Canção 1998 | ||
1999 | Rui Bandeira |
Como tudo começou M: Jorge do Carmo; T: Tó Andrade |
Portuguese | How it all started | 21/23 | 12 | Festival da Canção 1999 | ||
2000 | Not qualified | ||||||||
2001 | MTM |
So be ser feliz assim M / T: Marco Quelhas |
Portuguese | I can only be so happy | 17/23 | 18th | Qualified directly for the final | Festival da Canção 2001 | |
2002 | No participation | ||||||||
2003 | Rita Guerra |
Deixa-me sonhar (só mais uma vez) M / T: Paulo Martins |
Portuguese, English | Let me dream (just one more time) | 22/26 | 13 | Qualified directly for the final | Festival da Canção 2003 | |
2004 | Sofia Vitória |
Foi magia M / T: Paulo Neves |
Portuguese | It was magic | Eliminated | 15/22 | 38 | Festival da Canção 2004 | |
2005 | 2 B |
Amar M / T: Jose da Ponte, Alexandre Honrado, Ernesto Leite |
Portuguese, English | Love | Eliminated | 17/25 | 51 | internal selection | |
2006 | Nonstop |
Coisas de nada M / T: José Manuel Afonso & Elvis Veiguinha |
Portuguese, English | Inconsequential | Eliminated | 19/23 | 26th | Festival da Canção 2006 | |
2007 | Sabrina |
Dança comigo (vem ser feliz) M: Emanuel ; T: Emanuel, Tó Maria Vinhas |
Portuguese, English, Spanish , French |
Dance with me (come be happy) | Eliminated | | 11/28 | 88 | Festival da Canção 2007 | |
2008 | Vânia Fernandes |
Senhora do mar M: Andrej Babić ; T: Carlos Coelho |
Portuguese | Mistress of the sea | 13/25 | 69 | 2/19 | 120 | Festival da Canção 2008 |
2009 | Flor-de-Lis |
Todas as ruas do amor M: Pedro Marques; T: Paulo Pereira, Pedro Marques |
Portuguese | All the streets of love | 15/25 | 57 | 8/18 | 70 | Festival da Canção 2009 |
2010 | Filipa Azevedo |
Há dias assim M / T: Augusto Madureira |
Portuguese | It's one of those days again | 18/25 | 43 | 4/17 | 89 | Festival da Canção 2010 |
2011 | Homens da Luta |
Luta é alegria M: Vasco Duarte; T: Nuno Duarte Jel |
Portuguese | Fighting is fun | Eliminated | 18/19 | 22nd | Festival da Canção 2011 | |
2012 | Filipa Sousa |
Vida minha M: Andrej Babić; T: Carlos Coelho |
Portuguese | My life | Eliminated | 13/19 | 39 | Festival da Canção 2012 | |
2013 | No participation | ||||||||
2014 | Suzy |
Quero ser tua M / T: Emanuel |
Portuguese | I want to belong to you | Eliminated | 11/16 | 39 | Festival da Canção 2014 | |
2015 | Leonor Andrade |
Há um mar que nos separa M / T: Miguel Gameiro |
Portuguese | There is a sea that divides us | Eliminated | 14/17 | 19th | Festival da Canção 2015 | |
2016 | No participation | ||||||||
2017 | Salvador Sobral |
Amar pelos dois M / T: Luísa Sobral |
Portuguese | Love for two | 1 / 26th | 758 | 1/18 | 370 | Festival da Canção 2017 |
2018 | Cláudia Pascoal |
O jardim M / T: Isaura |
Portuguese | The garden | 26/26 | 39 | Qualified directly for the final | Festival da Canção 2018 | |
2019 | Conan Osíris |
Telemóveis M / T: Conan Osíris |
Portuguese | Mobile phones | Eliminated | 15/17 | 51 | Festival da Canção 2019 | |
|
Elisa |
Medo de Sentir M / T: Marta Carvalho |
Portuguese | Fear of feeling |
Cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic by the EBU |
Festival da Canção 2020 |
National preliminary decisions
So far, almost all Portuguese contributions have been determined through the annual Festival da Canção . Only in 2002, 2013 and 2016 when Portugal voluntarily decided not to participate and in 2005 when the contribution was selected internally, the festival did not take place. In 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019, in addition to the finals, semi-finals were also broadcast.
languages
Most of the contributions were sung in Portuguese, the national language, even in times of free choice of language. Portuguese-English mixed versions were only created in 2003, 2005 and 2006. In 2007 the chorus contained lines in French, Spanish and English.
Competitions held
year | city | venue | Moderation |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Lisbon | Altice Arena | Daniela Ruah , Sílvia Alberto , Catarina Furtado and Filomena Cautela |
Scoring
The following countries received the most points from or awarded the most points to Portugal (as of 2018):
|
|
|
|
Award of the highest rating
Since 1975, Portugal has awarded the maximum number of points to 19 different countries, seven of which to Spain.
Sustaining land | ||
---|---|---|
year | country | space |
1975 | France | 4th |
1976 | United Kingdom | 1 |
1977 | United Kingdom | 2 |
1978 | Luxembourg | 7th |
1979 | Israel | 1 |
1980 | Italy | 6th |
1981 | Germany | 2 |
1982 | Germany | 1 |
1983 | Luxembourg | 1 |
1984 | Spain | 3 |
1985 | Italy | 7th |
1986 | Belgium | 1 |
1987 | Italy | 3 |
1988 | Switzerland | 1 |
1989 | United Kingdom | 2 |
1990 | Iceland | 4th |
1991 | Italy | 7th |
1992 | Malta | 3 |
1993 | France | 4th |
1994 | Ireland | 1 |
1995 | Norway | 1 |
1996 | United Kingdom | 8th |
1997 | Italy | 4th |
1998 | Israel | 1 |
1999 | Germany | 3 |
2000 | Not qualified | |
2001 | France | 4th |
2002 | No participation | |
2003 | Spain | 8th |
2004 | Spain | 10 |
2005 | Romania | 3 |
2006 | Ukraine | 7th |
2007 | Ukraine | 2 |
2008 | Ukraine | 2 |
2009 | Moldova | 14th |
2010 | Spain | 15th |
2011 | Spain | 23 |
2012 | Spain | 10 |
2013 | No participation | |
2014 | Austria | 1 |
2015 | Italy | 3 |
2016 | No participation | |
2017 | Azerbaijan (J) | 14th |
Moldova (T) | 3 | |
2018 | Estonia (J) | 8th |
Spain (T) | 23 | |
2019 | Netherlands (J) | 1 |
Spain (T) | 22nd |
various
- Portugal has been taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest since 1964 , but only won its first victory in 2017. No other participating country had to wait so long for the great success. The best placement of a Portuguese entry had previously been a 6th place in 1996 .
- After the break in 2013, Portugal returned to the ESC in 2014, 50 years after the first participation. In 1964 and 2014, the ESC took place in Copenhagen .
- Besides Lithuania, Portugal is the only country that did not receive a single point on their debut.
- Portugal did not participate in the ESC in 2000, 2013 and 2016. The competition was held in Sweden every three years.
- Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Portugal has qualified for the final only five times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2018 as the host country) out of a total of 12 participations. In 2018, Portugal was pre-qualified for the final thanks to the 2017 win.
- Portugal holds the record for the highest score: 758.
- Even under the old points system, Portugal would have broken Norway's record (387) with 417 points.
- After Serbia and North Macedonia, Portugal is the third country to win the Barbara Dex Award several times ( 2006 and 2019 ). The award "honors" the worst outfit at the Eurovision Song Contest .