Preview: England Women vs. Portugal Women

England Women will resume their Women’s Nations League campaign when they welcome Portugal Women to Wembley on Friday.

The Lionesses are sitting in second place in Group A3 with seven points to their name, while Portugal are three points adrift in third position.

Match preview

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England will already have one eye on the defence of their European Championship crown, with the Lionesses set to begin the tournament with a game against France on July 5, before they wrap up the group phase with Netherlands and Wales.

Sarina Wiegman‘s side will look to build confidence in their final two matches of the Nations League league phase, beginning with a home game against Portugal, before they travel to Catalonia for Tuesday’s meeting with Spain.

The Lionesses are currently sitting two points adrift of leaders Spain after winning two, drawing one and losing one of their four matches in Group A3.

After kicking off their campaign with a 1-1 draw in Portugal, the Lionesses went on to record back-to-back home victories, claiming a narrow 1-0 win over Spain, before sweeping past Belgium via a 5-0 scoreline at Ashton Gate.

However, they suffered a setback in their most recent outing against Belgium, with goals from Beth Mead and Michelle Agyemang proving fruitless in a 3-2 away loss, denting their hopes of making their first appearance in the Nations League finals.

England will be confident of getting back on track in Friday’s fixture, having won all five of their previous home matches in the Nations League, keeping clean sheets in three of those victories.

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Like England, Portugal are also using this competition as good preparation for this summer’s Euros, with Francisco Neto‘s charges set to face Nations League opponents Spain and Belgium again in the Euro 2025 group phase, along with Italy.

They have experienced mixed fortunes in the 2025 Nations League, having won one, drawn one and lost two of their four matches in League A.

After starting with a draw against England, Portugal went on to claim a narrow 1-0 win over Belgium, before suffering back-to-back defeats to Spain in the April international window.

Catarina Amado and Carole Costa scored in a 4-2 home defeat against the 2023 World Cup winners, just four days before Francisco Neto’s side slumped to a heavy 7-1 away loss, leaving them in a relegation playoff spot and one point above Belgium at the bottom of Group A3.

While Portugal lost to Spain in their last away assignment, that result represented their only defeat in the last seven international away matches (W5, D1).

With that said, they have lost four of their five away games across the first two editions of the Nations League, conceding at least two goals in each of those defeats.

England Women Women’s Nations League form:

England Women form (all competitions):

Portugal Women Women’s Nations League form:

Portugal Women form (all competitions):

Team News

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England will be unable to call upon experienced goalkeeper Mary Earps, who announced her shock international retirement earlier this week, ensuring that Hannah Hampton will remain the number one option for the Nations League and Euro 2025.

Defender Ella Morris has withdrawn from the squad after she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training.

Man City midfielder Laura Blindkilde Brown has been named as Morris’s replacement for the upcoming Nations League matches.

Chelsea’s Millie Bright also pulled out of the England squad on Monday to take an extended break, explaining that she is “mentally and physically” at her limits following a demanding club campaign.

Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy was named as Bright’s replacement, adding to England’s central-defensive options of Leah Williamson, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier and Esme Morgan.

As for Portugal, they are unable to call upon Barcelona attacker Kika Nazareth, who has been out of action since March with an ankle problem.

Portugal’s two most capped players, Ana Borges and Costa, are likely to feature in the backline for Friday’s away fixture.

Experienced forward Jessica Silva should provide a useful option off the bench after missing April’s international window due to injury.

England Women possible starting lineup:
Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Greenwood, Charles; Clinton, Walsh, Toone; Mead, Kelly, Russo

We say: England Women 3-1 Portugal Women

England may have experienced disappointment in April’s trip to Belgium, but they boast a 100% home record in the Nations League, and with that in mind, we think that they will make full use of home advantage to claim a relatively comfortable victory at Wembley.

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