The '40s and '50s were fabulous years for Sporting. They won 10 out of 18 National Football Championships during these decades, with 4 out of 13 Portuguese cups also on the club's roll of honour.

From the 1946–47 season to the 1953–54 season, Sporting won seven of the eight championships contested, losing only in the 1949–50 season. This was the age of the famous Cinco Violinos ("Five Violins") that became famous on both the national and international levels, alongside with head coaches like Joseph Szabo, Robert Kelly, Randolph Galloway, Cândido de Oliveira, Armando Ferrira, Enrique Fernández and others.

The name "Cinco Violinos" was given by the journalist and trainer Tavares da Silva to refer to the forward line of Jesus Correia, Manuel Vasques, Fernando Peyroteo, José Travassos, and Albano. These men were said to play as an orchestra together with the same collective spirit and efficiency on the field. During these years, Sporting scored 123 goals (almost five per game) in a championship played by 14 teams, 2 less than nowadays.

This is certainly a record that will be hard to beat. For example, the striker Peyroteo finished all 12 seasons he played in the Sporting squad with more goals scored than games played.