Sporting CP plays their home matches in an aesthetic stadium in a beautiful city that has a perfect combination of culture, a Mediterranean climate and football. With former players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Figo, the club also has a rich and successful history.
Whatever you do, do not call the club Sporting Lisbon. For the sportingguistas is Sporting the club for Portugal, and the city is only named in the name of their biggest rival SL Benfica (Sport Lisboa e Benfica). Sporting Clube de Portugal is one of the three big clubs in Portugal that have never been relegated to the second division.
The Lisbon Lions have won a tremendous amount of trophies and are famed for their youth academy, which introduced the footballing world to players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Nani. Interestingly, ten of the fourteen players of Portugal who played in and won the Euro 2016 final came through Sporting’s academy.
Estádio José Alvalade is a unique construction with an exterior filled with colourful tiles. You can call it a failed masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí, the architect behind the famous Parc de Güell in Barcelona, or a stadium made out of Legos. But this is what makes the stadium so special. Even attending a game here does not disappoint. Before every match the sportingguistas sing their anthem ‘O Mundo Sabe Que’ loud and proud. A beautiful song that you can compare to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from Liverpool.
The stadium was named after José Alvalade, the founder of Sporting CP. It is the seventh stadium the football club has played in. The former six stadiums were all located in the same or directly next to the current ground.
Sporting is more than just a football club. It is a sports association with more than thirty European trophies in football, futsal, handball, roller hockey, judo and athletics. The Pavilhão João Rocha arena, which is located right next to Estádio José Alvalade, is the home to plenty of Sporting sports teams.
In Sporting’s stadium, you can also find the Museu Sporting, where you can find worn kits from Ronaldo and the European Golden Boot from Mário Jardel, who was Europe’s top goalscorer in the 2001/02 season with 42 goals. In the museum you can learn about the most unique moments in the club’s history, from its foundation in 1906 until now. You will also find the club’s first ever kit which strangely looks a lot like a regular white shirt and a massive trophy cabinet. A visit to the museum can be perfectly combined with a stadium tour.
When you think of Lisbon, you automatically think of Benfica and Sporting. But CF Os Belenenses is another club from the Portuguese capital that plays their home matches in the Estádio do Restelo. Perhaps the most beautiful stadium in the entire city. It is a magnificent stadium on the top of a hill with amazing views of the river Tagus. From the west stand, you can even admire the famous suspension bridge, Ponte 25 de Abril.
The stadium is located in Belém, one of the best neighbourhoods of Lisbon with beautiful parks. It is also the birthplace of the Pastel de nata, a famous pastry from the Portuguese kitchen. And if this did not convince you yet, then perhaps knowing that manager José Mourinho played in Belenenses youth academy might.
The big rival Benfica plays their home games in Estádio da Luz. The derby between both clubs is the biggest in Portugal and one that the whole country is eagerly anticipating. Even more special is the fact that the stadium is only a mere three kilometres away from Estádio José Alvalade. Benfica’s stadium is also a must-see on your next visit to Lisbon.
A restaurant where you potentially might bump into some Sporting fans is Tasquinha do Lagarto. The walls are filled with signed football kits and photos from Sporting CP. If the club is playing a game you can even watch it here whilst eating your heart out and enjoying typical Portuguese food.
Not a fan of the Portuguese kitchen? Then you can eat a pizza or pasta in the Italian restaurant La Expo Dolce Vita owned by former Sporting player Adrien Silva. The restaurant is not only jammed with shirts of the man himself but also with signed shirts from other Portuguese players such as Raphaël Guerreiro and José Fonte.
Tickets can be bought on the official website of the club or at the ticket office in the stadium when a match is not yet sold out. Be aware that matches against FC Porto or SL Benfica tend to be sold out quite fast.
Estádio José Alvalade is located outside of the city centre and can be easily reached by the metro system. The green and yellow line can bring you to Campo Grande, the nearest metro station. There are also plenty of buses that can take you to Campo Grande.
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