LISBON (Portugal) - There is a certain buzz about basketball in Portugal, as evident by their recent results across both men's and women's national teams' competitions.
The national team stormed through the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers with impressive performances in a group with Israel, Slovenia and Ukraine, clinching their ticket to the Final Round with two games left to play in the campaign. It will be their first EuroBasket appearance since 2011, searching for their first win since 2007.
Schedule
August 27: vs Czechia (13:45 CET) August 29: vs Serbia (20:15 CET) August 30: vs Türkiye (20:15 CET) September 1: vs Latvia (17:00 CET) September 3: vs Estonia (13:45 CET)
Star Player
Ever since he led his team to gold at FIBA U20 EuroBasket, Division B in 2019, expectations were high whenever Neemias Queta's name was mentioned.
The big guy probably exceed them, as he now owns an NBA champion ring, won with the Boston Celtics in 2024. In a group loaded with elite centers, Portugal will hold their ground because Queta is a double-double threat on any given day.
He is always there for his national team when needed, having played the Pre-Qualifiers for this event back in 2023, averaging 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, and is now set to play his first major tournament with Portugal.
Queta just turned 26 and is entering the prime of his career, after averaging five points and four rebounds in 62 games with the Celtics last season.
History
A full generation of Portuguese fans have gone without seeing their heroes on the continental stage. But that is past now as Coach Mario Gomes' men ended a 14-year drought. Portugal will be making their fourth appearance in Europe's flagship event.
Portugal last participated in 2011 when they finished 21st. The Iberians notched a best-ever ninth place in 2007. The only other EuroBasket came way back in 1951, when Portugal took 15th place.
Best finish: 9th - 2007
EuroBasket Top Scorers
Rank | Player | Games | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joao Santos | 11 | 111 |
2 | Elvis Evora | 11 | 73 |
3 | Miguel Miranda | 11 | 72 |
4 | Mario Nogueira de Almeida | 7 | 68 |
5 | Carlos de Andrade | 5 | 64 |
6 | Joao Gomes | 6 | 60 |
7 | Francisco Jordao | 6 | 58 |
8 | Antonio Tavares | 4 | 49 |
9 | Paulo Cunha | 4 | 44 |
10 | Antonio Nogueira Cardoso | 5 | 41 |
How they qualified
Gameday 1: POR 70-72 ISR Gameday 2: UKR 77-79 POR Gameday 3: POR 82-74 SLO Gameday 4: SLO 83-82 POR Gameday 5: ISR 84-78 POR Gameday 6: POR 60-88 UKR
Poll: Where will they finish?
Tickets
FIBA