Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has fired a strong warning to Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal ahead of their friendly match against Nigeria. The two teams are set to clash in Leiria as Portugal prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Match Preview
Nigeria and Portugal last met in a friendly before the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where the Super Eagles suffered a 4-0 defeat. As in 2026, that match was Portugal's final preparation game, while Nigeria had failed to qualify for the tournament. Nigeria recently drew 2-2 with Poland, while Portugal defeated Chile 2-1 in their first warm-up match for the World Cup.
Nigeria's Squad
According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), coach Eric Chelle has a strong squad of 22 players to choose from, despite the absence of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Igoh Ogbu due to injury. Alex Iwobi is set to earn his 100th cap and will orchestrate the midfield alongside captain Ndidi. Calvin Bassey leads the defense, while FC Porto striker Terem Moffi leads the attack.
Ndidi's Message
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Ndidi acknowledged that the match would be a good test for the team. He said: "It will be a very good test for us. We made the first test against Poland, and Portugal is a great team, a massive team with big players as well. So, it will also be a very massive test for us as a group, for our vision, for our aim as a team, for our growth; it will be a very good test for us."
The captain warned Portugal that Nigeria is not afraid of any opponent, emphasizing the team's mentality. "We believe in ourselves. We don't care who we're playing, even if we're playing the likes of the biggest countries in the world. The most important thing is we as players, we as a team, which is very important, and we look forward to taking our philosophy and our strategy to the game," Ndidi added.
When asked about how the World Cup miss affects the team's mentality, Ndidi refused to dwell on the past and instead focused on the future. The match will be played at the 29,000-capacity Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria and will be broadcast on terrestrial TV channels, SuperSport on DStv and GOtv, and streaming platforms for Nigerian audiences.
