Player migration in Portuguese football: a game of exits and entrances

Abstract

In a context of intense competition, emphasized by globalization processes, the football industry seeks to maximize performances through an incessant search for high quality skilled players. In a market logic, these players become a scarce asset. They are intensely sought out by teams, which results in an intense migration flow of footballers. Portuguese football is also imbedded in these migrations dynamics. Although it is not a new phenomenon in recent years, Portugal has become a crossroads of migratory flows players, with a large number of foreign players to reach national clubs, and many Portuguese players to go to foreign clubs. The aim of this paper is to observe the migratory trends of football players in Portugal, and identify the migratory routes not only of the foreign players who arrived in Portugal, but also of the Portuguese players who go abroad.