Portugal will hope to wind up their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they face Nigeria this Wednesday.
Portugal will complete their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they face Nigeria in an international friendly on Wednesday night.
For Roberto Martinez’s side, this is the final opportunity to build rhythm before their tournament opener against the DR Congo on June 17. Portugal will travel to North America with one of the most talented squads in the competition and genuine belief that they can finally win the World Cup for the first time in their history.
Nigeria, meanwhile, arrive with a very different emotional backdrop. The Super Eagles will not be part of the World Cup after suffering penalty-shootout heartbreak against the DR Congo in the CAF playoff final. Even so, Eric Chelle’s side are in good form and should provide Portugal with a competitive final test before the tournament begins.
The Selecao das Quinas head into the summer with serious expectations. Their squad is packed with quality across the pitch, and Roberto Martinez has enough attacking and creative depth to make his team one of the most dangerous sides at the tournament.
There is also the emotional weight of Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup campaign. The iconic attacker has won almost everything in football, but the World Cup remains the one major prize missing from his extraordinary career. If Portugal were to lift the trophy this summer, it would be one of the great closing chapters in international football history.
Martinez’s charges come into this friendly after a 2-1 win over Chile on Saturday, with Goncalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes finding the net. That result gave them a useful boost, and the Nigeria match will now serve as one final tune-up before the competitive action begins.
Their World Cup group looks manageable on paper. Portugal will face the DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K, and they will be expected to progress comfortably. However, tournament football rarely allows room for complacency, and Martinez will want his players to enter the opening fixture with sharpness, confidence and a clear attacking rhythm.
Portugal have faced Nigeria only once before at senior international level. That meeting came in a friendly in November 2022, when the European side produced a dominant 4-0 victory. While that result will give Portugal confidence, this match should still be useful because Nigeria’s athleticism, physicality and attacking speed can expose weaknesses if Martinez’s side are not fully focused.
Nigeria, on the other hand, are still dealing with the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup. The Super Eagles have been a regular presence at the tournament since 1994, featuring in six of the last eight editions and reaching the round of 16 twice during that period. Their absence from the 2026 finals is therefore a major setback.
Their qualification hopes ended in painful fashion against the DR Congo, who beat them on penalties in the CAF playoff final. It was a crushing result for a squad filled with high-level talent, particularly because several of Nigeria’s biggest names will now be absent from the global stage.
Still, Nigeria’s recent form has been impressive and Chelle’s men are unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions and come into this game after a 2-2 draw with Poland. They have also won nine of their last 12 matches, including victories over Zimbabwe and Jamaica at the end of May as they retained the Unity Cup in London. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Portugal
Portugal have been boosted by the arrival of their Paris Saint-Germain contingent, with Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos now linking up with the national squad after their involvement in the Champions League final. Roberto Martinez is expected to involve all four players against Nigeria, although their minutes may still be managed carefully with the World Cup opener approaching.
There are no major injury concerns reported for Portugal ahead of this friendly. Rafael Leao was sent off against Chile, but he will be available for selection here, meaning Martinez does not have to deal with a suspension-related absence. Cristiano Ronaldo started and played the first half in the previous friendly, so he could be rested from the beginning against Nigeria as Portugal look to manage his workload before the tournament.
Portugal are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Diogo Costa starting between the posts. Diogo Dalot should operate at right-back, with Ruben Dias and Goncalo Inacio in central defence and Nuno Mendes at left-back.
In midfield, Vitinha is expected to play as one of the deeper central midfielders, helping Portugal control possession with his passing range and press resistance. Bruno Fernandes should operate in a more advanced midfield role, where his creativity, shooting threat and final-third passing can drive Portugal’s attacking play. Joao Neves is likely to complete the midfield trio.
Up forward, Bernardo Silva is expected to start on the right wing, where he can drift inside, combine with midfielders and help Portugal sustain pressure. Goncalo Guedes could lead the line as the central forward if Ronaldo is rested while Pedro Neto is likely to start on the left wing.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Costa; Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; Vitinha, Fernandes, Neves; Silva, Guedes, Neto
Nigeria
Nigeria will be without two of their biggest attacking names for the friendly against Portugal, with Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman not part of the squad. Their absence removes a huge amount of firepower from the Super Eagles’ attack, particularly as both players are usually capable of changing games through pace, movement and finishing quality.
There are no major suspension concerns reported for Nigeria ahead of this match. The main team news centres on the absence of Osimhen and Lookman, which means Eric Chelle is expected to continue with an alternative attacking setup.
Nigeria are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Maduka Okoye starting in goal. Abdullahi Bewene is likely to operate at right-back, where he will need to stay defensively alert against Portugal’s wide attackers. Igoh Ogbu should start as one of the centre-backs alongside Emmanuel Fernandez while Bruno Onyemaechi is likely to feature at left-back.
In midfield, Moses Simon is expected to start on the right side, where his pace and direct running can provide Nigeria with an outlet on the counter-attack. Frank Onyeka should operate in central midfield, using his energy and aggression to disrupt Portugal’s rhythm. Wilfred Ndidi is likely to partner him in the middle, while Tochukwu Nnadi should start on the left side of midfield. Up front, Akor Adams is expected to start as one of the two forwards alongside Terem Moffi.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Okoye; Bewene, Ogbu, Fernandez, Onyemaechi; Simon, Onyeka, Ndidi, Nnadi; Adams, Moffi
Key Stats
- Portugal have never won the World Cup, with their best finish coming in 1966, when they ended the tournament in third place.
- Portugal are heading into their final World Cup warm-up match after beating Chile 2-1, with Goncalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes scoring.
- The two nations have met only once before at senior international level, with Portugal beating Nigeria 4-0 in a friendly in November 2022.
- Nigeria are unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions.
- The Super Eagles have won nine of their last 12 matches, including victories over Zimbabwe and Jamaica as they retained the Unity Cup in London.
Player to Watch
Bruno Fernandes
With Cristiano Ronaldo potentially rested from the start, Portugal will need Bruno to provide leadership and creativity in the final third. His passing range, set-piece quality and ability to arrive in shooting positions make him one of Roberto Martinez’s most influential attacking players.
Operating from midfield in Portugal’s 4-3-3 system, Fernandes can connect play with Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto and Goncalo Guedes while also looking to release the wide players into space. Against a Nigeria side that should be physical and compact, his decision-making between the lines could be vital.
This friendly is also Portugal’s final outing before the World Cup, so Roberto Martinez will want his key creators to look sharp. If the 31-year-old controls the tempo and supplies the front line consistently, Portugal should have enough quality to finish their preparations with another win.
Prediction
Portugal 2-1 Nigeria
Nigeria’s recent form suggests they will not be easy opponents, and their physicality could make this a useful challenge for Portugal. However, Roberto Martinez’s squad has greater depth, superior technical quality and the added motivation of finishing their World Cup preparations with a win. Portugal should control most of the match and create enough chances to edge past a competitive Nigerian side.