| Order of Merit Ordem de Mérito | |
| Awarded By: | Portuguese Republic |
| Type: | Order |
| Eligibility: | Portuguese and foreign citizens; military or civilian |
| For: | Meritorious acts or services in the exercise of any functions, public or private, revealing self-sacrifice in favor of the community.[1] |
| Status: | Currently constituted |
| Head Title: | Grand Master |
| Head: | President of the Portuguese Republic |
| Head2 Title: | Chancellor |
| Head2: | Maria Helena Nazaré[2] |
| Grades: | Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Medal |
| Established: | 1927 as the Order of Instruction and of Benefaction 1929 as the Order of Benefaction 1976 Current form |
| Higher: | Order of Camões |
| Lower: | Order of Public Instruction |
The Order of Merit (Portuguese: '''Ordem do Mérito''') is a Portuguese Honorific Order of civil merit intended to award those responsible for meritorious acts or services performed in the exercise of any functions, both in the public and the private sphere, which reveal self-sacrifice in favor of the community. The decorations are given by the President of the Portuguese Republic, in his role as the Grand-Master of the Portuguese Honorific Orders. The Order of Merit can be awarded, during life or posthumously, to both Portuguese and foreign citizens; it can also be awarded to localities or institutions that are legal persons governed by public law or of public utility.[1] This order has been awarded to a number of people performing the most diverse functions such as ambassadors, businesspeople, military personnel, athletes and musicians.
The Order of Merit has its origin in April 1927, when the Order of Instruction and Benefaction (Original Portuguese: Ordem da Instrução e da Benemerência) was created. The goal of this now extinct order was to distinguish the services performed by people or corporations in order to further the instruction in the country. In 1929, the Order of Instruction and Benefaction was split in two different orders, the Order of Benefaction and the Order of Public Instruction, with the former now solely awarding acts related to social causes, public assistance and goodwill. In 1976, the order was renamed to its current title.[3]
| Post-nominal !scope="col" style="width:50px;" | Occupation !scope="col" style="width:50px;" | Date appointed | ||
| ComM | Businessman | data-sort-value="1990-06-10" | 10 June 1990 | |
| GCM | Writer | data-sort-value="1989-02-04" | 4 February 1989[5] | |
| GCM | Actor | data-sort-value="2017-03-01" | 1 March 2017[6] | |
| ComM | Bullfighter | data-sort-value="2005-06-23" | 23 June 2005[7] | |
| GOM | Actor | data-sort-value="2005-06-09" | 9 June 2005[8] | |
| GOM | Fado singer | data-sort-value="2016-12-03" | 3 December 2016[9] | |
| ComM | Politician | data-sort-value="1989-09-18" | 18 September 1989[10] | |
| ComM | Musician | data-sort-value="2012-06-08" | 8 June 2012[11] | |
| ComM | Scholar | data-sort-value="2009-10-08" | 8 October 2009[12] | |
| Luso-Can Tuna | MHM | data-sort-value="2014-02-28" | 28 February 2014[13] | |
| Bruno Alves, Eduardo Carvalho, Ricardo Carvalho, William Carvalho, Eder, Eliseu, José Fonte, André Gomes, Raphaël Guerreiro, Anthony Lopes, João Mário, João Moutinho, Nani, Rui Patrício, Pepe, Danilo Pereira, Vieirinha, Ricardo Quaresma, Cristiano Ronaldo, Renato Sanches, Adrien Silva, Rafa Silva, Cédric Soares as UEFA Euro 2016 winners | ComM | Footballers | data-sort-value="2016-07-10" | 10 July 2016[14] |
| ComM | Athletes | data-sort-value="2016-07-13" | 13 July 2016[15] | |
| ComM | Canoeist | data-sort-value="2016-07-13" | 13 July 2016 | |
| ComM | Musicians | data-sort-value="2018-04-23" | 23 April 2018[16] | |
| GOM | Football coach | data-sort-value="2016-07-10" | 10 July 2016 | |
| OM | Journalist | data-sort-value="2013-07-10" | 10 July 2013 | |
| ComM | Politician | data-sort-value="1996-06-08" | 8 June 1996[17] | |
| GCM | Politician | data-sort-value="2009-02-26" | 26 February 2009[18] | |
| CommM | Formula E driver | data-sort-value="2020-09-02" | 3 September 2020 | |
| Percival Noronha | ComM | Historian | 1 September 2014[19] |