Sporting Lisbon Crowned Portuguese Champions For The First Time in 19-Years.

Sporting Lisbon have been crowned the 2020/21 Portuguese champions for the first time since 2002, following a 1-0 win against Boavista at home on Tuesday.

The victory for Sporting ended a 19-year wait for the league title.

Striker Paulinho struck the only goal of the game in the 36th minute and Ruben Amorim's side ended outgoing champions Porto and Benfica's dominance on the Primeira Liga title since 2003.

Sporting, who are still unbeaten with two games left and just 15 goals conceeded, went top of the table at the start of November and have remained there ever since.

They have 82 points after 32 matches, and are eight-point clear over second-placed Porto.

𝙒𝙀 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 🏆 pic.twitter.com/HNHzwvAIDl

— Sporting CP English 🏆 (@SportingCP_en) May 11, 2021

Thousands of excited fans bearing the club's white and green colours gathered outside Sporting's Jose Alvalade stadium before kick off celebrating as champions, despite police warnings of not gathering in large groups, and respecting social distancing restrictions due to coronavirus pandemic.

Once the match ended fans flooded the streets of the capital, accompanied by fireworks, car horns blaring and chants of “We are champions”.

In 2018, a group of around 50 furious supporters attacked players and staff at the club's training group after they finished third in the season and loosing the Portuguese Cup final to Aves.

The incident led to the departure of coach Jorge Jesus, several senior players of the squad and the dismissal of club president Bruno de Carvalho.

Current president Frederico Varandas decided to change tack and put the club’s youth talent at the heart of a team led by 36-year-old coach Ruben Amorim.

It caps the end of a superb season for Amorim's team, who have already picked up a silverware this season, winning a third historic League Cup for Sporting with a 1-0 win over his former side and holders Braga in January.

The 36-year-old manager Rúben Amorim who considered as one of the most talented young managers right now in Europe, has won 37 games, 10 draws, 4 defeats, and 72.5% win percentage in 51 games since his appointment as Sporting manager in March 2020.