Famous Portuguese in World History

Prince Henry the Navigator - The guiding spirit of the Portuguese discoveries, devoting much of his life to the cause of exploration. He worked to improve ships, their instruments and maps.

Vasco da Gama - Explorer who made the first sea voyage from Europe to the East (India).

Pedro Alvares Cabral - The first European explorer to set foot in South America (in today's Brazil).

Bartolomeu Dias - European explorer to first round the southern end of the African continent, opening a sea route from Europe to the East. Along the way, he explored about 1260 miles of previously unknown African coast.

Fernão Magalhães (Magellan) - The first European to cross the Pacific Ocean, and leader of the first voyage that circumnavigated the globe.

Jose Saramago - Nobel Prize-winning author.

Paula Rego - Appointed the first associate artist of England's National Gallery and living between London and Ericeira, Portugal, she has been placed amongst the four best living painters in England today.

Manoel de Oliveira - Beginning with silent films, he has been directing up to the 21st century having earned a multitude of honors such as the Jury Prize in Cannes.

Alvaro Siza Vieira - Pritzker Prize-winning architect.

Antonio Damasio - Scientist whose breakthrough publication Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason and the Human Brain is considered a book of reference worldwide.

Luis Figo - FIFA 2001 World Player of the Year.

Cristiano Ronaldo - Rising soccer star; Manchester United player.

José Mourinho - Notorious soccer coach; has won the Champions League, has coached Portugal's F.C. Porto and England's Chelsea.

Durão Barroso - President of the European Commission.

Tu conheces mais pessoas famosas de Portugal? Para que eu possa acrescentar a lista. ;)