It’s been close to three decades since the first Portuguese footballer stepped into the Premier League in East London wearing the West Ham shirt.
That pioneer was Dani, opening the door for compatriots to follow. Today, nearly 100 Portuguese players have featured in England’s top division, nine of them in the Claret and Blue of West Ham—with Mateus Fernandes set to become the tenth after sealing a move from Southampton on Friday.
In the years since Dani’s debut, Portuguese football has thrived internationally, with the national side winning Euro 2016 and the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. Meanwhile, stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Carvalho, Rúben Dias, João Cancelo, Paulo Ferreira, and Diogo Jota have helped their clubs claim Premier League glory, leaving an unmistakable mark on English football.
Here’s a look back at the nine Portuguese players to have played for the Hammers in the Premier League era:
Dani
Daniel da Cruz Carvalho joined West Ham on loan from Sporting Lisbon in 1996, becoming the first Portuguese player in Premier League history. Though his stay was short, he made an impression, scoring twice in nine matches, including against Manchester City and Tottenham. After returning to Sporting, he represented Portugal at the Atlanta Olympics before moving to Ajax. Later stints at Benfica and Atlético Madrid followed, but his career ended with the feeling of talent left untapped.
Paulo Futre, Hugo Porfirio, Paulo Alves
Dani’s arrival was followed by a mini-wave of Portuguese signings under Harry Redknapp. In 1996/97, experienced winger Paulo Futre—already capped 41 times and a league champion in Portugal and Italy—arrived alongside the promising Hugo Porfirio. While neither shone in East London, they clocked 32 appearances between them. The next year, Sporting striker Paulo Alves joined on loan, making four league appearances before returning home, where he later managed clubs to second-tier titles.
Luis Boa Morte
Nearly a decade later, Luis Boa Morte became the next Portuguese Hammer, bringing over 200 Premier League games of experience with Arsenal, Southampton, and Fulham. Spending four-and-a-half years and 109 games at the Boleyn Ground, he left in 2011, later playing in Greece, South Africa, and England’s lower leagues before moving into coaching. Recently, he managed Guinea-Bissau’s national team.
Ricardo Vaz Tê
Perhaps the most iconic Portuguese Hammer, Ricardo Vaz Tê, etched his name in club folklore with the winning goal in the 2012 Championship Play-Off Final against Blackpool at Wembley. Signed from Barnsley just months earlier, he scored 12 times en route to promotion and added five more goals in the top flight. His career later took him to China, Turkey, and back to Portugal, before retiring in 2021. He returned to represent West Ham at a U.S. tournament earlier this year.
José Fonte
A key figure in Portugal’s Euro 2016 and 2019 Nations League triumphs, Fonte joined West Ham in January 2017, making 24 league appearances before departing in early 2018. His late-career renaissance saw him win Ligue 1 with Lille in 2021 and the League Cup with Braga in 2024. Still active, he now plays for Casa Pia at age 41.
João Mario
On loan from Inter Milan in 2018, João Mario became West Ham’s second Portuguese player that season. In 13 appearances, he scored twice, including a vital strike against Leicester City to secure survival. After returning to Inter and then Benfica, he now plays for Turkish side Beşiktaş.
Xande Silva
The most recent Portuguese to represent West Ham, Silva joined from Vitória Guimarães in 2018. His only Premier League outing came later that year in a defeat to Burnley. He left for Nottingham Forest in 2021 and now plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv, having also had stints in France, the U.S., and Israel.
