UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 preview: Portugal

Ana Borges. Photo: WEURO2025

Squad- TBD

A tournament set to be only Portugal’s third at a UEFA Women’s European Championship, led by a man, Francisco Neto who has been in the hot seat 11 years now.

The European nation are pushing and improving seemingly every year, as they look to upset the odds this summer in Switzerland.

The team itself, has been on a tremendous run of late, not losing a game from a 1-0 home defeat to France in December 2023, to a 4-2 home defeat to Spain in April of this year.

Spanning fourteen matches, with arguably the best result outside of securing European Qualification andkeeping the Lionesses to a 1-1 draw in February 2025.

Four defeats have come and gone since then, with preparation for the tournament not ideal. But Neto will hope that they can carry on their upward trajectory, with an unbeaten Nations League Campaign and two play-off rounds needed for Portugal to get to the tournament proper. 

Last Time Round 

In their last European Championships in England back in 2022, they played all three of their games at Leigh Sports Village, with one draw and two defeats from their group matches.

Game One, was a 2-2 draw with Switzerland, then a tight 3-2 defeat to Holland, before a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Sweden to end their European journey.

Play Off Joy

After five wins and one draw in their group stage, a two round play-off set up awaited Portugal, who in the first round, made light work on aggregate of Azerbaijan. With an 8–1 demolition across two legs to setting up a two legged shootout with Czechia at the end of last year for a place in the finals. 

A 1-1 draw in the first keg, Kika Nazareth cancelling out Katerina Svitakova’s opener infront of 40,000 at the Estadio Do Dragao, showcasing the want and desire to watch Women’s Football for the people of Portugal.

Svitkova scored again in the return leg, but a Diana Silva double secured Portugal’s place at their third successive European Championships.

Captain Dolores Silva - A Bonafide Portuguese Legend 

At the age of 33, Dolores Silva has an international career spanning 16 years and has appeared in every Portuguese squad that has featured at either a FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship.

171 caps, the third most in the history of Portugal Women, a goal and an assist in the 4-0 victory over Azerbaijan was a reminder that her class is permanent and that she will be leading the younger players in the squad with pride, and one of the best heads to learn off of. 

Other key players 

Normally, Kika Nazareth would be the first name on the lips of anyone who has an eye on Portugal, but she suffered a potentially serious injury at the back end of the season just gone that has threatened her European Place.

Some of the Elder players in the squad, Carole Costa, Jessica Silva and Tatiana Pinto to name a few will bring not only quality, but wealths of experience to mentor the younger stars, Telma Encarmarcao, Anderia Jancinto and Barbra Lopes to name but a few can form the young core, that Portugal will need. 

What does success look like:

You would have to argue that success for Portugal is finishing in a higher spot than fourth in the group stages, and that would be a marked improvement on both their previous showings.

They will be looking at Belgium and Italy as the winnable games in the group, which could play into their favour, getting the much tougher task of the World Champions Spain, out the way first.

Their assignments in Switzerland

Game 1 - Spain v Portugal - 3rd July 8pm UK Time Kick Off - Stadion Wankdorf

Game 2 - Portugal v Italy - 7 July - 8pm UK Time Kick Off - Stade de Geneve 

Game 3 - Portugal v Belgium - 11 July - 8pm UK Time Kick Off - Stade de Tourbillon