About Portugal...

2007 Result
History (1956 to 2006)
This year's entry
What I predicted...
What you thought...
What actually happened

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2007 Result

Points in Semi Final: 88
Position in Semi Final: 11th

Points in Final:
Position in Final:
More about the 2007 result for Portugal

2008 Contest: Must compete in Semi Final

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History (1956 to 2006)

Portugal's previous appearances: 40 year(s) out of 51 [note]
Years participated: 1964-1969; 1971-1999; 2001; 2003- [note]
Best result: 6th (1996)

Prior to 2006, Portugal's record at Eurovision was spookily similar to that of Finland, with the same number of entries (39) and the same of lack of success (never finishing higher than 6th place). However, Finland's storming victory in Athens - following first-time wins in previous years for oldtimers Turkey and Greece - has left Portugal as the most prominent country never to have won the Contest.

Indeed, Portugal has rarely even come close to winning, its high point being a strong 6th place in 1996 thanks to Lucia Moniz - better known today as Colin Firth's Portuguese maid in the film 'Love Actually'. Portugal had a flurry of good results in the early 1990s (8th in 1991 and 1994, 10th in 1993), brought only to a grinding halt by scoring nothing at all in 1997. After unremarkable results in 1998 and 1999, Portugal missed 2000's contest through relegation, and - after another poor result in 2001 (17th) - declined to take part in 2002. Interestingly, Portugal's absence gave a reprieve to the Latvians, who had finished one place below the Portuguese in 2001 and would otherwise have missed the 2002 contest. Marie N went on to represent Latvia that year, winning the contest for her country in the process.

Since coming back in 2003, Portugal's fortunes have been little better. Rita Guerra's beautiful ballad, 'Deixa-me sonhar' scraped an undeservedly low 22nd place, meaning that Portugal had to compete in the Semi Final in 2004. There, many online polls had tipped Sofia and her song 'Foi Magia' to come last, so in the circumstances, 15th place with 38 points - including 12 from all the ex-pats in Andorra - was quite impressive. In 2005, the Andorran votes were nowhere to be seen, but that was not enough to prevent 2B securing a decent 51 points for 'Amar', even if its 17th place was slightly down on the year before. However, it was downhill in terms of both points and placing in 2006, with 'Coisas de nada' mustering just 26 points (with 12 from Andorra again this time) and 19th place. This all means that Portugal is one of only six countries - the others being Andorra, Belarus, Estonia, Monaco and Slovenia - to have failed to qualify from any of the three Semi Finals held so far. Will 2007 finally bring Portugal success?
Get 'The Eurovision Song Contest: The Offical History' at Amazon.co.uk

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This year's entry

Position in Semi Final draw: 17
Position in Final draw: Failed to qualify

What I said prior to the Semi Final:
"You know you're off to a bad start when the Portuguese Eurovision song sounds like a slightly lame copy of the Norwegian entry, despite Portugal having much more of a claim over this type of music. 'Dança comigo' is catchy but extremely repetitive, and falls victim to the usual inability of Portuguese Eurovision entrants to sing in tune; in other words, it's like last year's entry all over again. Sabrina looks like she's having fun on stage, and the choreography is a little slicker than usual. However, it will be a miracle if this song qualifies for the Final, never mind bringing Portugal the long awaited victory that it must surely one day attain."

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What I predicted...

My prediction for Semi Final: 23rd to 25th
My prediction for Final: Will not qualify
What I predicted prior to the Semi Final:
"I think Portugal will struggle to present much of a challenge on 10 May, and I'll be surprised if this entry finishes higher than the bottom few places."
Want an alternative prediction? See Simon Hylands' 'Je t'adore, Eurovision!' site

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What you thought...

View the final leader board

In the run up to the Contest, 1,274 visitors to this site awarded points to their favourite songs in the Soult.com Eurovision Jury Vote 2007, voting as a representative of their own country's 'jury'. The votes awarded by representatives of each country were totalled, with each of the 42 participating countries (plus the 'Rest of the World') then awarding points - 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - based on the overall voting preference of its representatives. The points awarded to the entry from Portugal are shown in the tables below:

Points awarded to Portugal overall:
AL	0	AD	2	AM	0	AT	0	BY	0	BE	0
BA	0	BG	0	HR	0	CY	0	CZ	0	DK	0
EE	0	FI	0	FR	0	GE	0	DE	0	GR	0
HU	0	IS	0	IE	0	IL	0	LV	0	LT	0
MK	0	MT	0	MD	0	ME	0	NL	0	NO	0
PL	0	PT	X	RO	0	RU	0	RS	0	SI	0
ES	0	SE	0	CH	0	TR	0	UA	2	UK	0
WO	0	Last updated: 12 May 2007 Next scheduled update: None
Total points: 4, from 2/43 juries
Position: 37 out of 42

Points awarded to Portugal in the Semi Final:
AL	1	AD	4	AM	0	AT	0	BY	0	BE	0
BA	0	BG	0	HR	0	CY	0	CZ	0	DK	0
EE	0	FI	1	FR	0	GE	0	DE	0	GR	0
HU	0	IS	0	IE	0	IL	0	LV	0	LT	0
MK	0	MT	0	MD	0	ME	0	NL	0	NO	0
PL	0	PT	X	RO	0	RU	0	RS	0	SI	0
ES	0	SE	0	CH	0	TR	0	UA	5	UK	0
WO	0	Last updated: 12 May 2007 Next scheduled update: None
Total points: 11, from 4/43 juries
Position: 25 out of 28

Points awarded to Portugal in the Final:
AL	0	AD	0	AM	0	AT	0	BY	0	BE	0
BA	0	BG	0	HR	0	CY	0	CZ	0	DK	0
EE	0	FI	0	FR	0	GE	0	DE	0	GR	0
HU	0	IS	0	IE	0	IL	0	LV	0	LT	0
MK	<