Euro 2025: Day Two Analysis and Opinion

Spain laid down an early guantlet against a hapless Portugal, while underdogs Italy got off to a promising start against Belgium...

Thursday saw the introduction of world champions Spain to Euro 2025, and they quickly went about showing why they are many people’s favourites to add European glory to their world crown, dismantling neighbours Portugal. Italy meanwhile got off to a winning start and while their win against Belgium was unconvincing, it was crucial in the context of Group B.

Spain got off to the perfect start against neighbours Portugal. Image: Paul Terry / Sportimage

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Spain were as good as Portugal were bad

There was a whiff of the 2023 World Cup about this one, except this time we KNOW Spain have what it takes to get across the line.

After dismantling both Costa Rica and Zambia with little mercy down under two years ago, everything looked great for Spain, but the true question marks remained. A few weeks later, they were answered.

So this time we have to take Spain’s opening game hammering of neighbours Portugal seriously, even if it did take them 98 seconds to open the scoring, compared to 48 seconds at Euro 2022 - slacking.

For as incisive as Spain’s play was, Portugal stayed true to their recent form, looking all at sea at the back and very rarely able to spring the kind of counter attacks Spain might still be susceptible to giving up.

In truth, however grim the scoreline and performance may have reflected on Portugal, the result in Bern was not a huge shock when looking at the respective form guides.