Taça da Liga

Taça da Liga
Organising body	Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional
Founded	2007
Region	Portugal
Number of teams	36 (2021–22 season)
Current champions	Braga (3rd title)
Most successful club(s)	Benfica (7 titles)
Television broadcasters	SIC (final); Sport TV
Website	ligaportugal.pt/allianzcup
	2024–25 Taça da Liga

The Taça da Liga (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈtasɐ ðɐ ˈliɣɐ]), known outside Portugal as Portuguese League Cup, is an annual club football competition organised by the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional (LPFP) for teams competing in the top two tiers of Portuguese football – the Primeira Liga and Liga Portugal 2.^[1] Unlike Portugal's other domestic cup competition, the Taça de Portugal, the winners of the Taça da Liga do not qualify for European competitions.

The Taça da Liga was established in the 2007–08 season, thus becoming the third official competition for professional clubs in Portugal,^[1] after a proposal by Sporting and Boavista was approved by LPFP members on 28 November 2006. For sponsorship reasons, it is currently known as Allianz Cup (with the English word cup).

Benfica are the most successful team in the competition, having won seven trophies (four of which consecutively between 2008 and 2012). The current holders are Braga, who defeated Estoril in the 2024 final to secure their third title.

Format

The Taça da Liga format has suffered changes throughout the competition's history in order to increase the number of matches and also revenue for both clubs and LPFP. Starting in the 2021–22 season, the format is the following:

First round – One-legged ties between all Segunda Liga teams (except reserve or B teams), the ten Primeira Liga teams ranked 7th–16th in the previous season, and the two teams promoted from the Segunda Liga, with the winner advancing to the next round.
Second round – One-legged ties between the first-round winners and the two Primeira Liga teams ranked 5th and 6th in the previous season. The winners advance to the next round.
Third round – Four groups of three teams played in a single round-robin format, each containing two second-round winners and one of the four top-placed Primeira Liga season teams of the previous season. The group winners advance to the next round.
Knockout phase – Semi-finals and final played as one-legged fixtures played in a neutral ground.

For 2022–23, due to fixture congestion surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup, all Segunda Liga and Primeira Liga teams (except reserve or B teams) were placed into 8 groups (6 groups of 4 teams and 2 groups of 5 teams), with the group winners advancing to the knockout phase, consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. All knockout stage games are one-legged fixtures, with the semi-finals and finals still played in a neutral ground. All group stage games and the quarter-finals were played during the international break surrounding the World Cup.

Finals

Season	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Date	Venue
2007–08	Vitória de Setúbal	0–0 (3–2 p)	Sporting CP	22 March 2008	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
2008–09	Benfica	1–1 (3–2 p)	Sporting CP	21 March 2009
2009–10	Benfica (2)	3–0	Porto	21 March 2010
2010–11	Benfica (3)	2–1	Paços de Ferreira	23 April 2011	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
2011–12	Benfica (4)	2–1	Gil Vicente	14 April 2012
2012–13	Braga	1–0	Porto	13 April 2013
2013–14	Benfica (5)	2–0	Rio Ave	7 May 2014	Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria
2014–15	Benfica (6)	2–1	Marítimo	29 May 2015	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
2015–16	Benfica (7)	6–2	Marítimo	20 May 2016	Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
2016–17	Moreirense	1–0	Braga	29 January 2017	Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé
2017–18	Sporting CP	1–1 (5–4 p)	Vitória de Setúbal	27 January 2018	Estádio Municipal de Braga, Braga
2018–19	Sporting CP (2)	1–1 (3–1 p)	Porto	26 January 2019
2019–20	Braga (2)	1–0	Porto	25 January 2020
2020–21	Sporting CP (3)	1–0	Braga	23 January 2021	Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria
2021–22	Sporting CP (4)	2–1	Benfica	29 January 2022
2022–23	Porto	2–0	Sporting CP	28 January 2023
2023–24	Braga (3)	1–1 (5–4 p)	Estoril	27 January 2024

Performance by club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Winning years	Runner-up years
Benfica	7	1	2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016	2022
Sporting CP	4	3	2018, 2019, 2021, 2022	2008, 2009, 2023
Braga	3	2	2013, 2020, 2024	2017, 2021
Porto	1	4	2023	2010, 2013, 2019, 2020
Vitória de Setúbal	1	1	2008	2018
Moreirense	1	0	2017	—
Marítimo	0	2	—	2015, 2016
Paços de Ferreira	0	1	—	2011
Gil Vicente	0	1	—	2012
Rio Ave	0	1	—	2014
Estoril	0	1	—	2024

Participating clubs

	Team	City	Years	First season	Last season	Titles	Runners-up
1	Benfica	Lisbon	18	2008	2025	7	1
2	Sporting CP	Lisbon	18	2008	2025	4	3
3	Braga	Braga	18	2008	2025	3	2
4	Porto	Porto	18	2008	2025	1	4
5	Vitória de Setúbal	Setúbal	13	2008	2020	1	1
6	Moreirense	Moreira de Cónegos	14	2011	2025	1	0
7	Marítimo	Funchal	16	2008	2024	0	2
8	Estoril	Estoril	17	2008	2024	0	1
8	Paços de Ferreira	Paços de Ferreira	17	2008	2024	0	1
10	Rio Ave	Vila do Conde	16	2008	2024	0	1
11	Gil Vicente	Barcelos	15	2008	2024	0	1
12	Vitória de Guimarães	Guimarães	18	2008	2025	0	0
13	Nacional	Funchal	17	2008	2025	0	0
13	Santa Clara	Ponta Delgada	17	2008	2025	0	0
15	Feirense	Santa Maria da Feira	16	2008	2024	0	0
15	Leixões	Matosinhos	16	2008	2024	0	0
15	Portimonense	Portimão	16	2008	2024	0	0
18	Penafiel	Penafiel	15	2008	2024	0	0
19	Académica	Coimbra	14	2008	2022	0	0
19	Sporting da Covilhã	Covilhã	14	2009	2023	0	0
21	Desportivo das Aves	Vila das Aves	13	2008	2020	0	0
21	Oliveirense	Oliveira de Azeméis	13	2009	2024	0	0
23	Belenenses	Lisbon	12	2008	2024	0	0
23	Arouca	Arouca	12	2011	2024	0	0
25	Chaves	Chaves	11	2010	2024	0	0
25	Tondela	Tondela	11	2013	2024	0	0
27	Olhanense	Olhão	10	2008	2017	0	0
27	Varzim	Póvoa de Varzim	10	2008	2022	0	0
27	Trofense	Trofa	10	2008	2023	0	0
27	Boavista	Porto	10	2008	2024	0	0
27	Académico de Viseu	Viseu	10	2014	2024	0	0
32	Beira-Mar	Aveiro	8	2008	2015	0	0
32	Freamunde	Freamunde	8	2008	2017	0	0
32	Farense	Faro	8	2014	2024	0	0
32	Famalicão	Vila Nova de Famalicão	8	2016	2024	0	0
36	União da Madeira	Funchal	7	2012	2018	0	0
36	Mafra	Mafra	7	2016	2024	0	0
38	Naval	Figueira da Foz	6	2008	2013	0	0
38	União de Leiria	Leiria	6	2008	2024	0	0
38	Vizela	Vizela	6	2008	2024	0	0
41	Atlético CP	Lisbon	5	2012	2016	0	0
41	Estrela da Amadora	Amadora	5	2008	2024	0	0
43	Cova da Piedade	Cova da Piedade	4	2017	2020	0	0
43	B-SAD	Lisbon	4	2019	2023	0	0
43	Casa Pia	Lisbon	4	2020	2024	0	0
46	Fátima	Fátima	3	2008	2011	0	0
46	Vilafranquense	Vila Franca de Xira	3	2020	2023	0	0
48	Gondomar	Gondomar	2	2008	2009	0	0
48	Oriental	Lisbon	2	2015	2016	0	0
48	Torreense	Torres Vedras	2	2023	2024	0	0
51	Carregado	Carregado	1	2010	2010	0	0
51	Fafe	Fafe	1	2017	2017	0	0
51	Real	Queluz	1	2018	2018	0	0
51	AVS	Vila das Aves	1	2024	2024	0	0
51	Länk Vilaverdense	Vila Verde	1	2024	2024	0	0

Players statistics

Appearances

As of 2022–23 season^[2]

Rank	Player	Apps	Goals	Years	Clubs
1	Jardel	43	1	2009–2021	Estoril, Olhanense, Benfica
2	Tarantini	41	5	2007–2021	Portimonense, Rio Ave
3	Filipe Gonçalves	36	3	2007–2020	Vitória Setúbal, Paços Ferreira, Trofense, Moreirense, Estoril, Oliveirense
3	Gilberto Silva	36	3	2007–	Boavista, Covilhã
5	Ricardo Pessoa	35	7	2007–2018	Portimonense, Moreirense
5	João Pedro	35	4	2007–2022	Beira-Mar, União de Leiria, Oliveirense, Naval, Braga Belenenses, Moreirense, Académica
7	Jorge Pires	34	7	2008–2020	Portimonense, Desportivo das Aves, Feirense, Moreirense, Penafiel
	Hélder Guedes	34	9	2007–2018	Penafiel, Paços de Ferreira, Rio Ave, Vitória Setúbal
	Ukra	34	3	2007–2022	Varzim, Olhanense, FC Porto, Braga, Rio Ave, Santa Clara
	Paulinho	34	20	2012–	Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP

Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal

Goalscorers

All-time top scorers

As of 2022–23 season^[3]

Rank	Nat.	Player	Goals	Games	Years	Clubs
1		Paulinho	20	34	2012–	Trofense, Gil Vicente, Braga, Sporting CP
2		Tozé Marreco	12	25	2010–	Desportivo das Aves, União da Madeira, Naval, Tondela, Académica
3	/	Liédson	11	13	2007–2013	Sporting CP, Porto
4		Jonas	10	15	2014–2019	Benfica
5		Hélder Guedes	9	34	2007–2018	Penafiel, Paços de Ferreira, Rio Ave, Vitória Setúbal
		Lima	9	16	2009–2015	Belenenses, Braga, Benfica
		Rabiola	9	16	2007–2015	Porto, Desportivo das Aves, Penafiel
	/	Dyego Sousa	9	21	2010–2019	Leixões, Tondela, Portimonense Marítimo, Braga
		Edinho	9	22	2007–2020	Marítimo, Académica, Braga, Vitória de Setúbal, Feirense
		Miguel Rosa	9	25	2008–	Estoril, Carregado, Belenenses, Cova da Piedade, Estrela da Amadora
		Clemente	9	27	2007–2019	Chaves, Oliveirense, Santa Clara

Bold = Still active and playing in Portugal

Goalscorers by seasons

Season	Player	Country	Club	Goals
2007–08	Matheus	Brazil	Vitória de Setúbal	5
2008–09	Liédson	Brazil	Sporting CP	4
2009–10	Carlão	Brazil	União de Leiria	3
2010–11	Hugo Vieira	Portugal	Gil Vicente	5
2011–12	Baba Diawara	Senegal	Marítimo	4
	Rodrigo	Spain	Benfica
	Miguel Rosa	Portugal	Belenenses
2012–13	Fabrício	Brazil	Sporting da Covilhã	5
	Josué	Portugal	Paços de Ferreira
	Rafael Porcellis	Brazil	Santa Clara
	Rabiola	Portugal	Desportivo das Aves
2013–14	Tozé Marreco	Portugal	Tondela	3
	Jackson Martínez	Colombia	Porto
	Moreira	Portugal	Leixões
	Ricardo Pessoa	Portugal	Portimonense
	Wágner	Brazil	Moreirense
2014–15	Jonas	Brazil	Benfica	5
2015–16	Raúl Jiménez	Mexico	Benfica	4
2015–16	Talisca	Brazil	Benfica	4
2016–17	Welthon	Brazil	Paços de Ferreira	4
2017–18	Gonçalo Paciência	Portugal	Vitória de Setúbal	5
2018–19	Paulinho	Portugal	Braga	4
2018–19	Dyego Sousa	Portugal	Braga	4
2019–20	Ricardo Horta	Portugal	Braga	4
2019–20	Soares	Brazil	Porto	4
2020–21	Paulinho	Portugal	Braga	3
2021–22	Gustavo Sauer	Brazil	Boavista	4
2022–23	Paulinho	Portugal	Sporting CP	8
2023–24	Clayton	Brazil	Casa Pia	4

Sponsorship

Since its inception (except in the period between 2011 and 2015) the Taça da Liga has had the following naming sponsors meaning it has been known by different names:

Period	Sponsor	Name
2007–2010	Carlsberg	Carlsberg Cup
2010–2011	Bwin	Bwin Cup
2011–2015	No main sponsor	Taça da Liga
2015–2018	CTT	Taça CTT
2018–	Allianz	Allianz Cup

Records

As of 30 January 2020^[update]^[4]

Most tournament wins (team): 7 wins, Benfica
Most final appearances (team): 8, Benfica
Most tournament wins (individual): 7, Luisão for Benfica; Rúben Amorim for Benfica (5) as a player, and for Braga (1) and Sporting CP (2) as a manager
Most final appearances: (individual): 6, Luisão for Benfica (2009–11, 2014–16)
Most matches (team): 62, Benfica
Most matches (individual): 43, Jardel
Most game wins (team): 40, Benfica
Most goals (team): 123, Benfica
Highest goalscorer (career): 12 goals, Tozé Marreco & Paulinho^[5]
Highest goalscorer (season): 5 goals, by Matheus for Vitória de Setúbal (2007–08), Hugo Vieira for Gil Vicente (2010–11) and Jonas for Benfica (2014–15)
Most goals scored in a match (individual): 4 goals, by Rabiola for Desportivo das Aves vs Trofense, 29 July 2012
Biggest win: Sporting CP 6–0 União da Madeira, third round, 20 December 2017
Biggest win in a final: Marítimo 2–6 Benfica, 20 May 2016
Highest scoring game: 8 goals, Belenenses 5–3 Leixões, first round, 7 August 2011 and Marítimo 2–6 Benfica, final, 20 May 2016
Most penalties in a deciding penalty shoot-out: 20 – Vitória de Guimarães 6–7 Sporting CP (27 September 2007)
Youngest goalscorer in the final: Bruno Pereirinha, 20 years and 19 days, for Sporting CP vs Benfica, 2009
Youngest player in the final: Nuno Mendes, 18 years, 7 months and 5 days for Sporting CP vs Braga, 2021
Youngest captain in the final: João Moutinho, 21 years, 6 months and 14 days for Sporting CP vs Vitória de Setúbal, 2008

References

^ ^a ^b "Taça da Liga – Acerca desta Competição" [About this competition]. lpfp.pt (in Portuguese). Portuguese League for Professional Football. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
^ "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.
^ "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.
^ "Stats". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
^ "Cardozo? Jonas? Jackson? Golos na Taça da Liga é mais com Tozé Marreco" [Cardozo ? Jonas ? Jackson? Goals in the League Cup is More with Toze Marreco] (in Portuguese). zerozero. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.

External links

Official website (in Portuguese)
Portugal – List of League Cup Finals, RSSSF.com

[about-1] "Taça da Liga – Acerca desta Competição" [About this competition]. lpfp.pt (in Portuguese). Portuguese League for Professional Football. Retrieved 29 December 2012.

[2] "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.

[3] "Taça da Liga: Estatísticas". zerozero.pt.

[4] "Stats". thefinalball. Retrieved 10 January 2016.

[5] "Cardozo? Jonas? Jackson? Golos na Taça da Liga é mais com Tozé Marreco" [Cardozo ? Jonas ? Jackson? Goals in the League Cup is More with Toze Marreco] (in Portuguese). zerozero. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.

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