Women's EURO 2025: Players to watch on Matchday 3: Jennifer Falk, Patrícia Morais, Livia Peng, Daphne van Domselaar
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
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We turn the focus on four goalkeepers for the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 group deciders.
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The UEFA Women's EURO 2025 group stage is set to conclude between Thursday and Sunday as the quarter-finals take shape.
Ahead of the Matchday 3 action, we pick out one goalkeeper from each of the four groups with a crucial role to play.
Jennifer Falk (Sweden)
Falk had to be patient before going into a major tournament as Sweden's first-choice goalkeeper, having been back-up at two FIFA Women's World Cups, the 2020 Olympics and Women's EURO 2022. However, with Hedvig Lindahl now retired and Zecira Musovic on maternity leave, the 32-year-old Falk is Sweden's No1 in Switzerland and has kicked off with progress-clinching clean sheets against Denmark and Poland.
Germany await to decide Group C on Saturday, another challenge against stellar attacking talent for the Häcken keeper, who is relishing her status in these finals after what she told Offside was the "very tough" experience of losing out to Musovic as first choice at the 2023 World Cup following Lindahl's retirement. Of her starting role here, Falk added: "It feels really fun. And really motivating."
Patrícia Morais (Portugal)
Inês Pereira started the finals as Portugal's No1 goalkeeper against Spain, but on Matchday 2 it was Patrícia Morais who got the nod to face Italy. She justified her selection with a fine display in a 1-1 draw that kept their hopes of progress alive, before leading the celebrations with the Portugal fans in the Geneva stands.
Assuming the Braga custodian gets the nod for the must-win encounter with eliminated Belgium on Friday, Patrícia Morais will win the 100th cap of her 14-year Portugal career. Back in February, she kept out Belgium in a 1-0 away win for Portugal in the UEFA Women's Nations League, and the 33-year-old will hope to bring up her century with a similar display as her team pursue their first major tournament knockout spot.
Livia Peng (Switzerland)
A decade younger than Falk and Patrícia Morais, Peng was given the daunting role of being first choice for the hosts at this championship, with Switzerland boss Pia Sundhage and their goalkeeping coach, Germany legend Nadine Angerer, picking her ahead of Elvira Herzog. Angerer, who knows a few things about winning major tournaments, said: "Livia has earned these appearances thanks to her strong season and her training performances with the national team."
Announced last month as a new Chelsea signing from Werder Bremen, the 23-year-old Falk has kept her head in the sold-out atmospheres of Basel for the loss to Norway and Bern in the 2-0 defeat of Iceland. Another clean sheet against Finland on Thursday would ensure progress to the last eight for Switzerland and Peng, who left home aged 13 to join an academy and pursue a dream which is now coming true.
Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands)
It was at Women's EURO 2022 that Van Domselaar was unexpectedly thrust into action for a competitive debut when Sari van Veenendaal picked up an injury against Sweden on Matchday 1. Her superb displays in England almost immediately established Van Domselaar as the Netherlands No1, her world-class status underlined this year when she recovered from an injury-restricted season to keep a clean sheet in the UEFA Women's Champions League final for Arsenal against Barcelona.
Van Domselaar is now attempting to emulate what Van Veenendaal achieved in 2017 and help the Netherlands claim Women's EURO glory, having begun with a clean sheet against Wales; the loss to England makes Sunday's encounter with France even more crucial. Success would make her the first starting goalkeeper to win a Women's EURO or World Cup in the same year as a starting role in a Women's Champions League final triumph.