Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Portugal’s Seleção das Quinas in Leiria tonight in an international friendly expected to provide a stern test for both sides despite its non-competitive status.
The encounter carries significant importance for the two teams, with coaches Éric Chelle and Roberto Martinez eager to maintain positive momentum. While Martinez seeks to extend Portugal’s unbeaten run ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Chelle is determined to preserve his impressive record since taking charge of the Super Eagles.
Since his appointment 15 months ago, Chelle has overseen 24 matches, suffering only one defeat in regulation time — a pre-Africa Cup of Nations friendly against Egypt in December 2025, when he fielded an understrength squad.
Portugal head into the fixture on the back of a four-match unbeaten streak, recording victories over the United States and Chile, and a draw against Mexico. Their last defeat came seven months ago against the Republic of Ireland.
Tonight’s clash will serve as Portugal’s final warm-up match before their opening Group K fixture against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the FIFA World Cup, while offering Nigeria another opportunity to assess its readiness against top-level opposition.
Martinez has expressed confidence going into today’s farewell fixture, considering that he has all his aces with him including Cristiano Ronaldo, goalkeeper Diogo Costa, defenders Nélson Semedo, Rúben Dias and Diogo Dalot, midfielders Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and João Neves, and forwards Diogo Jota, João Félix, Gonçalo Guedes and Rafael Leão.
Against Chile at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon on Saturday, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes scored a spectacular goal after supplying the assist for Guedes to score the opener.
There have not been too many encounters between both countries at senior level, but on 17th November 2022, Portugal defeated the Super Eagles 4-0 in a friendly at Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade.
Portugal’s U20 team also denied Nigeria the trophy at the 1989 FIFA U20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, with the Flying Eagles suffering a 2-0 reverse in the final.
Chelle will not be concerned by all these as he sends his team today at the 29,000-capacity Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria — a city halfway between Lisbon and Porto.
Before kick-off, Nigeria will honour midfielder Alexander Iwobi as the Fulham FC midfielder collects his 100th senior cap — an inspiration and occasion for him to produce a commanding display in midfield against Martinez’s World Cup-bound stars.
Even as he will be missing star strikers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Chelle is focusing on his squad with confidence with the arrival of the mercurial Samuel Chukwueze (who missed the clash with Poland), the experience of Moses Simon, the forms of Paul Onuachu, Akor Adams and Terem Moffi, and the promising output of Philip Otele at the Unity Cup in London and the friendly against Poland in Warsaw last week.
Wing-back Abdullahi Bewene had a dream debut against the White-and-Red in Warsaw, and could start on Wednesday against the Seleção das Quinas, in the absence of Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Centre-back Igoh Ogbu departed the team camp yesterday due to injury, but Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Scotland-based Emmanuel Fernandez are all up for the big tie. Bruno Onyemaechi and Zaidu Sanusi are both available for the left wing-back role.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi will join Iwobi and any of Frank Onyeka, Tochukwu Nnadi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika in the middle. And there is also the promising young KRC Genk midfielder Christian Akpan.
Today’s game will kick off at 8.45pm Portugal time – same time as in Nigeria.
NIGERIA’S LAST FIVE MATCHES
27/03/26: Iran 1-2 Nigeria (International Friendly)
31/03/26: Jordan 2-2 Nigeria (International Friendly)
26/05/26:Nigeria 2-0 Zimbabwe 0 (Unity Cup)
30/05/26: Jamaica 0-3Nigeria (Unity Cup 2026)
03/06/26: Poland 2-2 Nigeria (International Friendly)
PORTUGAL’S LAST FIVE MATCHES
13/11/25: Ireland 2-0 Portugal (2026 World Cup Qualifier)
16/11/25:Portugal 9-1Armenia (2026 World Cup Qualifier)
29/03/26:Mexico 0-0 Portugal (International Friendly)
01/04/26:USA 0-2 Portugal (International Friendly)
: 06/06/26: Portugal 2-1 Chile (International Friendly)
ÉRIC SÉKOU CHELLE’S SUPER EAGLES SCORECARD
21 Mar 2025: Rwanda 0-2 Nigeria (FIFA World Cup Q: Kigali)
25 Mar 2025: Nigeria 1-1 Zimbabwe (FIFA World Cup Q: Uyo)
28 May 2025: Nigeria 2-1 Ghana (Unity Cup: London)
31 May 2025: Jamaica 2-2 Nigeria (Unity Cup: London)
. Nigeria win 5-4 on penalties to retain the trophy
06 Jun 2025: Russia 1-1 Nigeria (Friendly: Moscow)
06 Sep 2025: Nigeria 1-0 Rwanda (FIFA World Cup Q: Uyo)
09 Sep 2025: South Africa 1-1 Nigeria (FIFA World Cup Q: Bloemfontein)
10 Oct 2025: Lesotho 1-2 Nigeria (FIFA World Cup Q: Polokwane)
14 Oct 2025: Nigeria 4-0 Bénin Republic (FIFA World Cup Q: Uyo)
13 Nov 2025: Gabon 1-4 Nigeria (FIFA World Cup Playoff: Rabat)
16 Nov 2025: DR Congo 1-1 Nigeria (FIFA World Cup Playoff: Rabat)
. DR Congo win 4-3 on penalties
16 Dec 2025: Egypt 2-1 Nigeria (Friendly: Cairo)
23 Dec 2025: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (AFCON: Fès, Morocco)
27 Dec 2025: Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia (AFCON: Fès, Morocco)
30 Dec 2025: Uganda 1-3 Nigeria (AFCON: Fès, Morocco)
05 Jan 2026: Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique (AFCON: Fès, Morocco)
10 Jan 2026: Algeria 0-2 Nigeria (AFCON: Marrakech, Morocco)
14 Jan 2026: Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (AFCON semi: Rabat, Morocco)
. Morocco win 4-2 on penalties
17 Jan 2026: Egypt 0-0 Nigeria (AFCON third place: Casablanca, Morocco)
. Nigeria win 4-2 on penalties
27 Mar 2026: Iran 1-2 Nigeria (Friendly: Turkey)
31 Mar 2026: Jordan 2-2 Nigeria (Friendly: Turkey)
26 May 2026: Nigeria 2-0 Zimbabwe (Unity Cup: London)
30 May 2026: Jamaica 0-3 Nigeria (Unity Cup: London)
03 Jun 2026: Poland 2-2 Nigeria (Friendly: Warsaw, Poland)
