Having qualified for a third European Championship on the trot, Portugal were an obvious choice to be considered this summer’s dark horses — and for good reason.
Getting to their first World Cup in 2023 was the apex — so far anyway — of the team’s evolution under Francisco Neto, who has been in charge since 2014. Portugal are now at the stage where you try to move from being a side who reach tournaments consistently to one bidding to compete in their latter stages.
That plan looked on track until some painful results in the two recent international windows but Portugal’s decade of growth has been built around a core group of players who have made this journey together. A strong sense of team remains.
Who is the manager?
Neto took the Portugal job aged only 32 and proceeded to guide them to qualification for the 2017 European Championship (the team’s first major tournament), the pandemic-delayed next Euros in 2022 and the World Cup a year later.
Despite being 43, Neto’s touchline career spans nearly two decades. He ended his coaching training with one of the best grades on his course — ahead of Sergio Conceicao, former boss of the men’s first teams at Porto and Milan.
Known for his faith in youth and his in-game tactical nous, Neto has been fundamental in Portugal’s evolution.
How do they play?
Portugal have departed from their previous 4-4-2 (diamond) or 4-3-3 system and now favour a back three, a decision that has coincided with them playing stronger opponents in the Nations League, including the 2023 World Cup’s two finalists Spain and England.
But do not be surprised if this shifts during the tournament. Neto and this group of players know each other very well. The chemistry affords fluid in-game adjustments.
Who are their three most influential players?
Tatiana Pinto and Diana Silva are the obvious choices here. Pinto, who plays for Atletico Madrid, is one of the most reliable creative forces at Portugal’s disposal, while Sporting CP’s Silva is a menace for any defence with her blistering pace.
But Real Sociedad’s Andreia Jacinto is swiftly establishing herself as a key member of this team. The 23-year-old tops myriad passing charts in Spain’s La Liga last season, including assists, key passes and progressive passes, despite being in a team that finished seventh in the 16-strong table.
Jacinto will be key to Portugal’s chances (Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/JAR Sport Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“If I had to choose one of our players to make people pay more attention to, it would be Andreia Jacinto,” Pinto said in April.
It might be worth heeding that advice.
GO DEEPER
Andreia Jacinto: Portugal’s young starlet carrying the nation’s Euro 2025 hopes
What is their biggest strength?
Portugal are quick, something England learned first-hand during a 1-1 away draw in February. But their biggest strength is their cohesion.
The core of this group has risen through the national team and club scenes together, meaning that, on and off the pitch, they share a deep understanding. Equally, these players feel they can compete at the top level, and want to prove it.
What weakness might other teams be able to exploit?
Portugal’s evolution in women’s football has occurred at breakneck speed, but their individual quality is not always a match for some of their more established counterparts. Particularly in the final third, they have struggled to make the most of their chances and can leave observers wanting for a little more grace and precision in the 18-yard box.
Without Kika Nazareth (more on her below), Portugal lose a key part of their goal threat. Defensively, they have been exposed against bigger and stronger nations such as Spain (a 7-1 loss in April) and England (a 6-0 defeat in May).
Any notable absentees?
Nazareth. The 22-year-old Barcelona midfielder underwent surgery on ligament damage in her left ankle in March and was to be sidelined for “approximately four months”, according to the club. For Portugal, the news came as a serious blow. Nazareth moved to the Spanish side in summer 2024 from Benfica for €500,000 (£426,000, $577,000 at current rates), a record fee for a Portuguese player in the women’s game.
Advertisement
In her first season, she established herself as a creative force in a squad teeming with attacking flair. Since making her debut for her country in 2020, Nazareth has made 43 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
There was some concern over Jessica Silva after the Gotham FC forward, who has 121 international caps and has scored 19 goals, suffered a damaged retina in her eye during training with her NWSL club in March. However, she has since returned to Portugal’s line-up.
What is their strongest starting XI?
How have they performed over the past 12 months?
The past year has produced mixed results. Competitive displays against Spain and England, along with a February victory against Belgium, have been juxtaposed with more recent thrashings by those same teams. Their final three Nations League matches were lost by an aggregate score of 16-1, with Spain and England scoring 13 of those goals.
However, Portugal had been on a 14-game unbeaten run between the start of 2024 and April, and the hope is they will take those heavy defeats on board and be more pragmatic in the group stage.
What are they expected to achieve at these Euros?
Drawn with Spain, Belgium and Italy, Portugal will surely be battling to advance to the quarter-finals in second place, given the Spanish are world champions. And the good news is that, apart from Spain, qualification looks wide open.
Portugal have experience against the Belgians, having defeated them in the Nations League at the start of this year, before losing 3-0 in the return fixture. Italy showed themselves to be surprise candidates in their Nations League campaign, finishing as group runners-up behind Sweden. We recommend staying tuned to Group B.
Did you know?
Portugal has increased its investment in women’s football over the past two years, with the Portuguese FA (FPF) pouring in €7.8million to enhance competitiveness at both national-team and club levels.
(Top photo of Dolores Silva: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Kyrie Irving to sign $119 million extension with Mavericks after declining player option, per report
Kyrie Irving is declining his $42.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks and instead is planning to sign a three-year, $119 million extension with the franchise, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a player option for 2027-28.That new deal can't be officially agreed upon until July 6. With Irving expected to miss a significant chunk of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn ACL, it makes sense he was interested in getting long-term security with his new deal. For the Mavericks, they're able to slightly lower Irving's annual salary to help their cap situation while keeping Irving around for their hopeful bounce back as a contender with a team built around Irving, Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg, who the team is expected to select with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday […]
NASCAR at Pocono: Crew member hospitalized after being struck by flying tire on pit road, per report
Getty Images A frightening incident unfolded on pit road at Pocono Raceway on Sunday when a flying tire struck JP Kealey, the rear tire changer for Shane van Gisbergen's crew. Kealey was knocked to the ground during the pit stop, but still managed to finish his work. He was later hospitalized, according to Skip Flores on the Stacking Pennies podcast. Kealey revealed he suffered cracked ribs and a partially collapsed lung, per Bozi Tatarevic.Video from inside AJ Allmendinger's car shows him sliding deep into his pit box, accidentally hitting one of his own tire changers and sending the tire flying toward Van Gisbergen's crew as the No. 88 car was pitting simultaneously. The tire struck Kealey, driving his air gun into his right side. The impact then pushed Kealey into the rear left side of the No. 88 car as […]
Reds RHP Chase Burns Strikes Out 1st 5 Batters In MLB Debut Before Yankees Tag Him
<!--> Reds rookie Chase Burns became the first pitcher in the expansion era to strike out the first five batters he faced in his major league debut.He was not able to carry the momentum through the rest of the game.The 22-year old right-hander, the second overall pick in last July's amateur draft, allowed three runs in five innings Tuesday night against the New York Yankees. Burns would not factor in the decision though after Cincinnati scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game.Burns struck out his first five batters before Jazz Chisholm Jr's single. He gave up six hits and struck out eight, the seventh Cincinnati starter to have at least that many in his first career start.According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Burns also joined the Yankees’ Al Leiter and Tampa Bay’s Wade Davis as the only […]
Jayden Daniels will be even better in 2025, says Commanders RB who foresees ‘powerhouse’ season ahead
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels exceeded expectations in his first year as a pro en route to an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year selection, and his career trajectory suggests a stellar sophomore year could be on the horizon. Running back Austin Ekeler said as much after OTAs and minicamp when he noted Daniels' development, and in turn, he predicted a "powerhouse" year for the Commanders on offense.Anything greater than the 3,568 passing yards and 891 rushing yards Daniels logged as a rookie would cement the LSU product as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, regardless of age. It would also affirm the Commanders as an elite offensive team after they ranked fifth in scoring and seventh in yardage a year ago."He's starting to get more comfortable, which allows him to even play mentally faster and make better […]
Fever’s DeWanna Bonner reportedly wants out of Indiana: What to know as veteran misses fifth straight game
The Indiana Fever will be without veteran forward DeWanna Bonner for a fifth consecutive game on Tuesday when they take on the Seattle Storm. Bonner, who is out for personal reasons, has not played since June 10 and it's unclear when she'll return to action. According to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, it's possible we've seen the last of Bonner in a Fever uniform. Per Costabile, Bonner has "no interest" in returning to the Fever. Her preferred landing spots, either via trade or a buyout, are the Phoenix Mercury -- where her fiancée, Alyssa Thomas, plays -- or the Atlanta Dream. "I haven't had a lot of conversations with her recently, really focused on the team we have right here," Fever coach Stephanie White said prior to taking on the Storm. The Fever will hope to snap a two-game losing streak Tuesday against the […]
Cardinals’ Masyn Winn scores from second base on sac fly after Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong forgets number of outs
There were 641 sacrifice flies hit in MLB this season entering Tuesday, and all 641 of them were scored by a man on third base. So you could call Masyn Winn something of an innovator.The St. Louis Cardinals shortstop scored one of the wildest runs of 2025 on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, running from second to home on a sacrifice fly from Alec Burleson. He was aided by a flub from Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong, who appeared to forget the number of outs and waited precious seconds before throwing the ball back to the infield.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was the kind of heads-up baserunning where aggression met opportunity:The play wasn't scored as an error on Crow-Armstrong, just a sacrifice fly with Wynn scoring from second. The run gave the Cardinals some extra breathing room with an 8-5 lead in the fourth inning.It […]
Related
Kyrie Irving to sign $119 million extension with Mavericks after declining player option, per report
Kyrie Irving is declining his $42.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks and instead is planning to sign a three-year, $119 million extension with the franchise, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a player option for 2027-28.That new deal can't be officially agreed upon until July 6. With Irving expected to miss a significant chunk of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn ACL, it makes sense he was interested in getting long-term security with his new deal. For the Mavericks, they're able to slightly lower Irving's annual salary to help their cap situation while keeping Irving around for their hopeful bounce back as a contender with a team built around Irving, Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg, who the team is expected to select with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday […]
NASCAR at Pocono: Crew member hospitalized after being struck by flying tire on pit road, per report
Getty Images A frightening incident unfolded on pit road at Pocono Raceway on Sunday when a flying tire struck JP Kealey, the rear tire changer for Shane van Gisbergen's crew. Kealey was knocked to the ground during the pit stop, but still managed to finish his work. He was later hospitalized, according to Skip Flores on the Stacking Pennies podcast. Kealey revealed he suffered cracked ribs and a partially collapsed lung, per Bozi Tatarevic.Video from inside AJ Allmendinger's car shows him sliding deep into his pit box, accidentally hitting one of his own tire changers and sending the tire flying toward Van Gisbergen's crew as the No. 88 car was pitting simultaneously. The tire struck Kealey, driving his air gun into his right side. The impact then pushed Kealey into the rear left side of the No. 88 car as […]
Reds RHP Chase Burns Strikes Out 1st 5 Batters In MLB Debut Before Yankees Tag Him
<!--> Reds rookie Chase Burns became the first pitcher in the expansion era to strike out the first five batters he faced in his major league debut.He was not able to carry the momentum through the rest of the game.The 22-year old right-hander, the second overall pick in last July's amateur draft, allowed three runs in five innings Tuesday night against the New York Yankees. Burns would not factor in the decision though after Cincinnati scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game.Burns struck out his first five batters before Jazz Chisholm Jr's single. He gave up six hits and struck out eight, the seventh Cincinnati starter to have at least that many in his first career start.According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Burns also joined the Yankees’ Al Leiter and Tampa Bay’s Wade Davis as the only […]
Jayden Daniels will be even better in 2025, says Commanders RB who foresees ‘powerhouse’ season ahead
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels exceeded expectations in his first year as a pro en route to an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year selection, and his career trajectory suggests a stellar sophomore year could be on the horizon. Running back Austin Ekeler said as much after OTAs and minicamp when he noted Daniels' development, and in turn, he predicted a "powerhouse" year for the Commanders on offense.Anything greater than the 3,568 passing yards and 891 rushing yards Daniels logged as a rookie would cement the LSU product as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, regardless of age. It would also affirm the Commanders as an elite offensive team after they ranked fifth in scoring and seventh in yardage a year ago."He's starting to get more comfortable, which allows him to even play mentally faster and make better […]
Fever’s DeWanna Bonner reportedly wants out of Indiana: What to know as veteran misses fifth straight game
The Indiana Fever will be without veteran forward DeWanna Bonner for a fifth consecutive game on Tuesday when they take on the Seattle Storm. Bonner, who is out for personal reasons, has not played since June 10 and it's unclear when she'll return to action. According to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, it's possible we've seen the last of Bonner in a Fever uniform. Per Costabile, Bonner has "no interest" in returning to the Fever. Her preferred landing spots, either via trade or a buyout, are the Phoenix Mercury -- where her fiancée, Alyssa Thomas, plays -- or the Atlanta Dream. "I haven't had a lot of conversations with her recently, really focused on the team we have right here," Fever coach Stephanie White said prior to taking on the Storm. The Fever will hope to snap a two-game losing streak Tuesday against the […]
Cardinals’ Masyn Winn scores from second base on sac fly after Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong forgets number of outs
There were 641 sacrifice flies hit in MLB this season entering Tuesday, and all 641 of them were scored by a man on third base. So you could call Masyn Winn something of an innovator.The St. Louis Cardinals shortstop scored one of the wildest runs of 2025 on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, running from second to home on a sacrifice fly from Alec Burleson. He was aided by a flub from Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong, who appeared to forget the number of outs and waited precious seconds before throwing the ball back to the infield.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was the kind of heads-up baserunning where aggression met opportunity:The play wasn't scored as an error on Crow-Armstrong, just a sacrifice fly with Wynn scoring from second. The run gave the Cardinals some extra breathing room with an 8-5 lead in the fourth inning.It […]
Be the first to leave a comment