World champions Spain kicked off their Women’s EURO 2025 campaign with a commanding 5–0 victory over Portugal. Esther González opened the scoring just 90 seconds in. Four goals came before halftime in a dominant first-half performance and a fifth fell in the second half. Portugal managed to regain some control but were unable to find the back of the net. Read our full match report on Spain vs. Portugal below.
Match Highlights
- Esther González opened the scoring in the 2nd minute and added another at the end of the first half (4-0).
- Vicky López doubled the lead five minutes later.
- Putellas scored number three.
- Attendance: 29520
- Aitana Bonmatí came on in the 81st minute.
- Martin-Prieto scored the 5-0 in stoppage time.
World Champions for a reason
Esther González needed just 90 seconds to open the scoring for Spain. Olga Carmona played her through the Portuguese defense, and although Fátima Pinto was in position to intercept, González controlled the ball superbly and flicked it past goalkeeper Inês Pereira.
Within five minutes, Vicky López doubled the lead with another beautifully crafted attack. Mariona Caldentey delivered a perfect low cross across the face of goal, and López slid in to finish.
Spain raced to a 2–0 lead in the opening minutes, but they didn’t take their foot off the gas. The Spanish front line remained sharp and alert, pressing high and pouncing on any mistakes from the Portuguese defense. When Pinto mishit a back pass, González was quick to react, but Pereira came up with a crucial save to keep Portugal in the game.
Portugal stuck on their own half
Portugal struggled to escape Spain’s relentless pressure, facing seven Spanish attempts in just 25 minutes. They did manage to build a few attacks of their own as the half wore on, but Spain clearly held the upper hand during the first 30 minutes.
A third goal seemed inevitable—and it came courtesy of Alexia Putellas. Caldentey once again played provider, floating a brilliant ball into the box. Putellas controlled it on her chest, danced past two defenders, and calmly slotted it home.
Moments later, Spain struck again to make it 4–0. Claudia Pina’s shot crashed off the post and rebounded perfectly into the path of González, who tapped in her second of the match. Portugal were left stunned as the World Champions continued to dominate.
Second Half: Both Head Coaches make Changes
Portugal made two changes at halftime, with Ana Borges and Ana Seiça coming on for Jacinto and Fonseca. Spain’s head coach Montse Tomé also made an early switch, bringing on Athenea del Castillo for Claudia Pina.
Spain resumed with the same intensity, pinning Portugal deep in their own half. About five minutes into the half, there was a lengthy stoppage as Fátima Pinto received treatment following a collision with Nanclares. Fortunately, she was able to continue.
Tomé continued to rotate her squad, bringing on Salma Paralluelo and Jana Fernández for Esther González and Ona Batlle. Jessica Silva was substituted for Diana Silva (Capeta) on the Portuguese side.
Final 20 Minutes
Portugal made another change, with Andreia Norton making way for veteran Dolores Silva. Although Spain had found goals easily in the first half, they found it much harder to break through in the second. Portugal’s head coach Francisco Neto made the right decision to bring on more experienced players, and while it helped stabilize the team, the 4–0 deficit was too steep to overturn.
Mariona Caldentey was replaced by Martín-Prieto, and with ten minutes of regulation time left, Aitana Bonmatí made her much-anticipated tournament appearance, replacing Vicky López. Bonmatí had recently recovered from viral meningitis and faced a race against time to be fit—her return to the pitch is an encouraging sign for Spain.
Despite Portugal’s improved form in the second half, they were unable to score and ultimately fell 5–0 to the reigning World Champions, as Martin Prieto found the net in the stoppage time.
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