Portugal vs Nigeria – Match preview and team news

Nairavoice | Jun 10, 2026 5h ago 125 0 3 min read

Portugal vs Nigeria – Match preview and team news

Portugal will face Nigeria in their final international friendly match on Wednesday before heading out to the USA for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Portugal vs Nigeria – Match preview and team news

Date: Wednesday, 10th May.
Kick-off: 8:45pm BST.
Venue: Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal.

Portugal team news

Portugal heads into their final World Cup warm-up match with a nearly full-strength squad, giving manager Roberto Martínez plenty of elite options.

The team received a massive boost as a Paris Saint-Germain quartet—Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha, and Gonçalo Ramos—joined the camp following their recent Champions League duties.

Additionally, midfielder Matheus Nunes has recovered from a brief illness and is back in full training.

However, the squad will be missing star winger Rafael Leão, who is suspended after receiving a red card during their previous friendly win against Chile.

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Goalkeeper Diogo Costa is confirmed to play the full 90 minutes. While captain Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start from the bench, Martínez plans to rotate his squad heavily throughout the game.

This strategy will protect key players and ensure the entire roster stays fresh and fully prepared for the upcoming tournament.

Nigeria team news

Nigeria enters this international friendly with a transitioning, younger squad under coach Éric Chelle.

The Super Eagles face a significant challenge upfront as elite attacking stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are completely missing from the team.

The roster faces further complications because defender Igoh Ogbu sustained a training camp injury that required medical scans, while winger Femi Azeez was held back by his club.

On a positive note, veteran midfielder Wilfred Ndidi returns to the squad to wear the captain’s armband.

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He will partner with Frank Onyeka in central midfield to disrupt Portugal’s high-tempo passing game.

This match also marks a massive career milestone for playmaker Alex Iwobi, who is set to earn his historic 100th cap for the national team.

Chelle will rely on this mix of experienced leaders and fresh talent to test the European giants.

Form

Portugal

Portugal is in excellent form as they head towards the World Cup. They secured a thrilling 2-1 win over Chile in their last friendly match, powered by goals from Gonçalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes. Before that, the team secured a dominant 2-0 victory against the United States and played out a scoreless 0-0 draw with Mexico.

Nigeria

Nigeria enters this match on a highly stable run, remaining undefeated in their last five fixtures. The Super Eagles recently played out an entertaining 2-2 draw against Poland, with forward Terem Moffi and substitute Paul Onuachu finding the back of the net. Before that, they secured back-to-back dominant friendly wins, defeating Jamaica 3-0 and Zimbabwe 2-0.

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