Editing Deco (section)

==International career==
[[File:Portugal 2-3 Denmark, Deco.jpg|thumb|left|Deco playing for Portugal against [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]] in 2008]]
Deco was never called up to the [[Brazil national football team|Brazil national team]], as the Brazil squad for the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]] included other attacking midfielders such as [[Ronaldinho]], [[Rivaldo]] and [[Juninho Paulista|Juninho]]. After completing six years of residence in Portugal, he was able to gain Portuguese citizenship and play for [[Portugal national football team|their national team]]. As none of his great-grandparents, grandparents or parents were Portuguese, under [[FIFA]]'s player eligibility rules  his citizenship was the only factor to allow him to play for Portugal. He was subsequently mentioned several times in the media as an option for the Portugal national team.

After many months of public discussion which split Portuguese public opinion, and despite the opposition of a large number of Porto rivals' supporters, he was called up for his first international, coincidentally against Brazil. He came on as a substitute for [[Sérgio Conceição]] and scored the free-kick which won the match 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espnfc.com/soccer/report?gameId=90940|title=Portugal vs. Brazil - Football Match Report - March 29, 2003 - ESPN|website=ESPNFC.com}}</ref> This was Portugal's first win over Brazil since the [[1966 FIFA World Cup]]. Since that match, he became a regular in the national team. Before [[UEFA Euro 2004]], [[Luís Figo]] criticised Deco's inclusion<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/portugal/3795885.stm | work=BBC News | title=Figo re-ignites Deco row | date=10 June 2004}}</ref> and said, "Se você nasceu chinês, bem, você tem que jogar pela China."
(English: "If you're born Chinese, well, you have to play for China.") Deco responded, "Eu nasci no Brasil e seria uma mentira dizer que sou português agora e não brasileiro. Mas amo Portugal e adoro jogar pela seleção." (English:"I was born in Brazil and it would be a lie to say that I'm Portuguese now and not Brazilian. But I love Portugal and I love playing for the national team.")

Despite the early criticism, Deco was one of the highlights of the Portugal national team. He scored 5 goals in 75 caps for Portugal by June 2010, when his international career ended after the second-round defeat to Spain at the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]].

===2006 World Cup===
In the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]], Deco scored the first goal in Portugal's second [[2006 FIFA World Cup Group D|Group D]] match against [[Iran national football team|Iran]] in the 63rd minute prior to [[Cristiano Ronaldo]]'s 80th-minute penalty. During the first knockout stage of the competition, Deco received two yellow cards in [[Battle of Nuremberg (association football)|the match]] against the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] with the first given for a rash tackle on [[John Heitinga]], suspending him from the quarter-final win against [[England national football team|England]], as he had already picked up a caution in the match with Iran. The win against [[England national football team|England]] in the quarter-final stage led to Portugal's defeat in the semi-final, which Deco was able to participate in.

===Euro 2008===
On 11 June, Deco scored the opening goal in Portugal's second match of [[UEFA Euro 2008|Euro 2008]], a [[UEFA Euro 2008 Group A|Group A]] clash with the [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]]. The match ended 3–1 to Portugal, with Deco aiding his team in their passage to the quarter-finals where Portugal's campaign came to an end against [[Germany national football team|Germany]], the eventual runners-up of the tournament.

In February 2010, Deco announced he would be retiring from international football after the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8498817.stm |work=BBC News  | title=Chelsea's Deco to quit Portugal | date=4 February 2010 | access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>

===2010 World Cup===
Deco played for Portugal in their opening game against the [[Ivory Coast national football team|Ivory Coast]]. During the match, he was injured and was ruled out of the remaining two group matches, against [[North Korea national football team|North Korea]] and Brazil. He was fit again for the round of 16 match against [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]], but Portugal head coach [[Carlos Queiroz]] chose [[Tiago Mendes|Tiago]] over him.

Deco retired from international football with 75 caps and 5 goals.