World champions Spain kicked off their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 5-0 victory over Portugal in Bern, Switzerland.
The match began on a somber note with a minute’s silence to honor Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident on Thursday alongside his brother, Andre Silva. Fans paid tribute with banners, shirts, and a stadium-wide display of Jota’s image on the big screen.
Once play began, Spain wasted no time asserting their dominance. It took just 87 seconds for Esther Gonzalez to open the scoring, brilliantly controlling Olga Carmona’s long pass on her shoulder before volleying home.
Spain doubled their lead six minutes later, with 18-year-old Vicky Lopez sliding in Mariona Caldentey’s low cross. Caldentey was again the provider for the third, delivering a pinpoint cross-field ball that Alexia Putellas controlled superbly before finishing coolly.
The reigning world champions made it 4-0 before halftime as Gonzalez tapped in a rebound after Claudia Pina’s cross struck the post.
Cristina Martin-Prieto capped the performance in stoppage time, heading in Spain’s fifth from a Salma Paralluelo cross.
Despite key players starting on the bench—including two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, who is recovering from viral meningitis, and Ballon d’Or finalist Paralluelo—Spain’s strength in depth was on full display.
Spain have never won the Women’s European Championship, with their best finish coming in 1997 when they reached the semi-finals.
However, following this commanding performance and their recent World Cup triumph, they are strong contenders to become only the third nation—after Germany and Norway—to win both the Women’s World Cup and European Championship.
Spain’s message to the rest of the tournament was clear: they are here to make history.
