Northern Ireland vs Portugal
head-to-head record
- Northern Ireland wins
- 2
- Draws
- 7
- Portugal wins
- 4
13 meetings, 1957 to 2013Goals: Northern Ireland 13, Portugal 14
Northern Ireland and Portugal have met 13 times since 1957. Portugal have won 4, Northern Ireland 2, and 7 matches ended level. They last met on 6 September 2013, when Portugal won 4–2 in World Cup qualifying.
The 13 meetings have produced 27 goals, 2.08 per game. The biggest win is Northern Ireland’s 3–0 in World Cup qualifying in 1957. Portugal are unbeaten in the last seven meetings (3 wins, 4 draws). They went 15 years without meeting, between 1957 and 1973.
Who has won more, Northern Ireland or Portugal?
All matches13 matches
Competitive12 matches
Friendlies1 match
Key numbers
- Goals
- Northern Ireland 13, Portugal 142.08 per game
- First meeting
- Portugal 1–1 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 16 Jan 1957
- Most recent
- Northern Ireland 2–4 PortugalWorld Cup qualifying, 6 Sept 2013
- Northern Ireland’s biggest win
- Northern Ireland 3–0 PortugalWorld Cup qualifying, 1 May 1957
- Portugal’s biggest win
- Northern Ireland 2–4 PortugalWorld Cup qualifying, 6 Sept 2013
- Most goals in a meeting
- Northern Ireland 2–4 PortugalWorld Cup qualifying, 6 Sept 2013
- Current run
- Portugal unbeaten in 7
- TFN Elo rating now
- Northern Ireland 1721 (57th), Portugal 2111 (5th)How the rating works
Last five meetings
- Northern Ireland2Portugal4
World Cup qualifying
Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Portugal1Northern Ireland1
World Cup qualifying
Porto, Portugal
- Northern Ireland1Portugal1
Friendly
Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Portugal1Northern Ireland0
World Cup qualifying
Lisbon, Portugal
- Northern Ireland0Portugal0
World Cup qualifying
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Who has had the upper hand over time?
The line climbs with every Northern Ireland win and drops with every Portugal win, so its height shows who has won more meetings up to that point.
Every meeting on one timeline
Home, away and neutral
In Northern Ireland's home games
6 matches
222
Northern IrelandDrawsPortugal
In Portugal's home games
6 matches
042
Northern IrelandDrawsPortugal
At neutral venues
1 match
010
Northern IrelandDrawsPortugal
Record by competition
| Competition | Played | Northern Ireland | Draws | Portugal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup qualifying | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10–10 |
| Euro qualifying | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2–3 |
| Friendly | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1–1 |
Meetings by decade
| Decade | Results | Played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2 | 5 | |
| 1970s | 2 | 4 | |
| 1980s | 2 | 2 | |
| 1990s | 4 | 6 | |
| 2000s | 1 | 2 | |
| 2010s | 2 | 8 |
Longest runs
| Longest run of | Northern Ireland | Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins in a row | 11981 | 12013 |
| Unbeaten meetings | 41957 to 1973 | 71994 to 2013 |
The longest run of draws is 2, from 15 November 2005 to 16 October 2012.
Top scorers in Northern Ireland vs Portugal
- 1Cristiano RonaldoPortugal3
- 2Domingos PaciênciaPortugal2
- 3Rui JordãoPortugal2
Scorer records exist for 11 of the 13 meetings, mostly competitive matches. Own goals are not credited to a player.
Questions answered
How many times have Northern Ireland and Portugal played each other?
13 times, starting on 16 January 1957. 12 of those meetings were competitive and 1 were friendlies.
Who has won more matches between Northern Ireland and Portugal?
Portugal, with 4 wins to 2. 7 matches ended level.
What is the biggest win in Northern Ireland vs Portugal?
Northern Ireland’s 3–0 win in World Cup qualifying on 1 May 1957 in Belfast.
When did Northern Ireland and Portugal last play?
On 6 September 2013 in Belfast, when Portugal won 4–2 in World Cup qualifying.
What is the competitive record between Northern Ireland and Portugal?
In 12 competitive matches, Northern Ireland have 2 wins, Portugal have 4, and 6 ended level.
Every Northern Ireland vs Portugal result
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 2–4 | Portugal | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Portugal | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Porto, Portugal | |
| Northern Ireland | 1–1 | Portugal | Friendly | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Portugal | 1–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Portugal | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Portugal | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | Euro qualifying | Porto, Portugal | |
| Northern Ireland | 1–2 | Portugal | Euro qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Northern Ireland | 1–0 | Portugal | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Portugal | 1–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| Portugal | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| Northern Ireland | 1–1 | Portugal | World Cup qualifying | Coventry, England (neutral) | |
| Northern Ireland | 3–0 | Portugal | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Portugal | 1–1 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Lisbon, Portugal |
Recent form
Northern Ireland
Related rivalries
More Northern Ireland head-to-heads
Northern Ireland vs England99 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Scotland96 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Wales95 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Germany21 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Spain19 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Denmark14 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Austria13 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Italy12 meetings
More Portugal head-to-heads
- Portugal vs Spain43 meetings
Portugal vs France27 meetings- Portugal vs Italy27 meetings
Portugal vs Switzerland26 meetings- Portugal vs England23 meetings
Portugal vs Sweden21 meetings- Portugal vs Germany20 meetings
Portugal vs Belgium19 meetings
Results through 6 October 2026. Page updated 3 November 2026. How these numbers are calculated.