The Portuguese football league, the I Liga, has this season 68.8% foreign footballers, representing a total of 72 flags or different nationalities on the pitches. This high number of international players reflects the growing openness of Portuguese football to the outside world and its ability to attract professionals from various parts of the world.
Brazil and Spain are the two largest supplying markets of players for the I Liga. Brazilian and Spanish footballers dominate the group of foreign players, occupying prominent positions both in terms of numbers and in terms of importance in the teams where they play.
In contrast with the strong international presence, only 179 Portuguese players are distributed across the I Liga squads, which corresponds to just 31.2% of the total number of athletes. This relatively low percentage of national players raises questions about the space available for young Portuguese footballers to establish themselves in the country's top championship.
