It has been an extraordinary 18 months for our national team. Ahead of two crunch matches this month against staunch rivals Spain, we caught up with captain Dolores Silva.
“As players, we want to compete against the very best and to develop as a team. We believe in ourselves and we’ll be working hard to achieve success.”
Promotion to the top tier of the Nations League, qualification for the 2025 UEFA Championship finals and a hard-fought draw in Portimão against England. “Qualification for the UEFA Championship finals was the highlight,” said Dolores. “That’s now three successive finals. We feel very happy about it and are looking forward to the finals in July and testing ourselves against the very best.”
They’re affectionately known as the ‘Navegadoras’ (Navigators), a name which reflects the pioneering spirit of the team and Portugal’s seafaring past. It also hints at the resilience of both the team and its talented and long-serving coach, Francisco Neto. During 2024, they went undefeated and started strongly this year, with a draw against England (the European champions) and a win in Belgium.
The recent draw against England – the fourth best team in world football – was a great result. On a rain sodden February night in Portimão, England went into an early lead and looked dominant and yet, as the game progressed, Portugal scored an equaliser and, by the end of the game, looked the much better team. Against such strong opposition, it felt like a significant result and as Dolores told me it was a game in which she and her teammates could “feel the support of the country”. Indeed, women’s football is thriving with Dolores’s home club of Sporting Clube de Braga, opening the first dedicated women’s football stadium.
All of the achievements of the last 18 months are to be savoured and yet, in their own way, they present new challenges. Portugal is now competing against the top teams in world football. Francisco Neto said, “We know it’s going to be tough. We have the European champions and the world champion in our Nations League group, which will force us to rise to a level of great demand and competitiveness. We want Portugal to be in constant growth over these next few months, so that it can present its best version at the European Championship finals in July.” Dolores told me, “It is going to be hard but we’ve shown what we’re capable of achieving and as professional footballers, competing against the very best on a regular basis is where we want to be.”
Looking on as an outsider (and supporter) who has followed the team for many years, the team looks well-placed for more success this year. They have a fantastic work ethic, a talented coach and an outstanding captain in Dolores. On the pitch she’s a busy midfielder, while off the pitch Dolores is humble and considerate. “I don’t think being captain means I get any special treatment. My focus has always been on supporting my teammates by making sure they feel welcome and prepared, and that they know I’m here if they need me.”
There’s no doubt this month’s two matches against Spain – the best team in the world – will be tough, but with Dolores as captain and a team that continues to develop under coach Neto, they’re well-placed to compete and once again make Portugal proud.
The first game against Spain will be in Paços de Ferreira on 4 April. Four days later, they play the return match in Vigo, Spain. Both matches will be shown live on RTP1.
The European Championship finals start in July and take place in Switzerland.
