Portugal Women’s Futsal Team Celebrated After Making History at World Cup
Portugal’s women’s national futsal team received a heartfelt tribute this week at Cidade do Futebol following their groundbreaking achievement at the inaugural 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup. The squad, which secured a historic silver medal after falling 3-0 to Brazil in the final on December 7, was honored for putting Portuguese women’s futsal on the global map in a way never seen before.
Coach Luís Conceição Delivers Emotional Speech
National team coach Luís Conceição, 49, delivered moving remarks during the ceremony, acknowledging both the team’s exceptional performance and the support provided by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The Algarve-native coach, who guided the third-ranked Portugal through an impressive tournament run, emphasized how everything came together perfectly for the squad.
“We had five fantastic weeks together, and we aligned everything so that nothing was missing for our girls, who only had to shine,” Conceição stated during his address. He specifically thanked the FPF for creating optimal conditions that allowed the coaching staff and players to focus entirely on their performance.
A Message of Pride Despite Final Loss
While acknowledging potential disappointment from the final defeat, Conceição reminded his players of the magnitude of their accomplishment. “You are world vice-champions! Enjoy it, you’re the second-best team in the world,” he told the squad, emphasizing their place in history as runners-up in the first-ever women’s futsal World Cup.
The coach recognized that some frustration was natural after coming so close to the title. But stressed that the team delivered a brilliant campaign throughout the tournament. Portugal demonstrated their quality with dominant performances, including a commanding 7-1 semifinal victory over Argentina, where they showcased the attacking prowess and defensive solidity that defined their World Cup journey.
Portugal’s Path to Silver
The Portuguese squad’s road to the final was marked by consistent excellence and tactical discipline. Ranked third globally entering the tournament, Portugal navigated the group stage before delivering increasingly impressive knockout performances in the Philippines.
Their semifinal triumph over sixth-ranked Argentina featured standout contributions from multiple players, demonstrating the squad’s depth and collective strength. The final against world number-one Brazil, held at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City before 5,087 fans, saw Portugal fall short despite their best efforts.
Golden Glove Winner Ana Catarina Speaks
Benfica goalkeeper Ana Catarina, who earned the tournament’s prestigious Golden Glove award as best goalkeeper, also addressed the ceremony. The 32-year-old veteran, a four-time world’s best futsal goalkeeper (2018, 2020, 2021, and 2024), expressed immense pride in elevating Portugal’s reputation on the international stage.
“Above all, it’s a feeling of enormous pride for having elevated our country’s name, as well as Portuguese women’s futsal,” Ana Catarina said. She thanked her 15 teammates for enduring over a month together. Acknowledging with characteristic humor that she knows she’s not always easy to be around during training and matches
