The Super Eagles have touched down in Portugal with 19 players, Alex Iwobi among them, as Eric Chelle’s side gear up for a high-profile friendly against a Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal on June 10.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles arrived in Lisbon on Thursday as preparations for the June 10 international friendly against Portugal moved into full swing, FootballInNigeria.com.ng reports. Team media officer Promise Efoghe confirmed the squad’s arrival, noting that 19 players made the trip directly from Warsaw, where Nigeria drew 2-2 with Poland a day earlier.
Alex Iwobi and Genk defender Christian Akpan, a late addition to the squad, have both checked into camp in Lisbon. Samuel Chukwueze is expected to link up with the group on Friday morning, having been given additional time before joining his international teammates. Pisa striker Rafiu Durosinmi, who had been part of the squad since the Unity Cup, was excused from the Portugal camp to attend to personal matters.
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June 10 Clash: What Nigeria Are Walking Into
The friendly takes place at the Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa in Leiria at 8:45pm local time, the same time zone as Nigeria. Portugal head into the game as one of Europe’s most dangerous sides, having qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Roberto Martinez’s squad is expected to field stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, who has personally insisted on playing in the fixture despite initial reports suggesting he would be rested before the tournament. Vitinha, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, and Goncalo Ramos of Paris Saint-Germain are also in contention to feature.
For Nigeria, the game carries its own weight. The last time these two sides met, in Lisbon in November 2022, Portugal ran out 4-0 winners in a one sided encounter. That result still stings. A stronger showing this time would say something about how far the current group has come under Chelle.
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The Bigger Picture: Chelle’s Rebuild and AFCON 2027
Nigeria did not qualify for this year’s World Cup, their second consecutive absence from the tournament. The Super Eagles finished second in their qualifying group behind South Africa and made it to the African intercontinental playoff in Morocco, where they lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese went on to beat Jamaica 1-0 in Mexico to seal their World Cup spot, their first since the 1974 tournament in West Germany.
These June friendlies are part of a deliberate process. Eric Chelle guided Nigeria to a third place finish at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where they beat Egypt on penalties in the bronze medal match. The coach is now building toward the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, which begin in September. Nigeria are drawn in Group L alongside hosts Tanzania, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau.
The Poland match on Wednesday gave fans a peek at where the team stands. Goals from Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu put Nigeria 2-1 up in stoppage time, only for Poland to equalise with a long range strike in the final seconds. Chelle took positives from the performance but the late concession will have been a talking point in the dressing room on the flight to Lisbon. For Super Eagles fans eager to follow the team through the qualifiers, today’s Bet9ja promo code is available ahead of the September window.
With Christian Akpan pushing for a debut and Chukwueze yet to arrive, the squad shape for Portugal is not yet settled. But the chance to test themselves against one of the world’s best sides, in their own backyard, is one the players will be motivated for.
📌 Did You Know?
- The June 10 fixture will be played at the Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa in Leiria, not in Lisbon, at a kickoff time of 8:45pm local time, which is the same time zone as Nigeria.
- Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, initially looked set to miss this friendly for rest purposes before the World Cup but personally told coach Roberto Martinez he wants to play, meaning Nigeria could face him for the first time in a full international.
- Christian Akpan, the Genk defender who joined the squad as a late call up, was voted Man of the Match on his debut for the Belgian club before earning his surprise international invitation. He is eligible to play at left or right back.
- Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Poland in Warsaw came after Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu put the Eagles 2-1 up with seconds left, only for Poland to equalise with a long-range effort in stoppage time.
- The Super Eagles defended their Unity Cup title ahead of these June fixtures, beating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the semi final and Jamaica 3-0 in the final before travelling to Poland.
- DR Congo, the team that knocked Nigeria out of the Africa World Cup playoff on penalties, sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup by beating Jamaica 1-0 in the intercontinental final in Mexico. It is their first World Cup since 1974.
- Nigeria’s Group L opponents for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers are Tanzania (the hosts), Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau. The campaign kicks off in September 2026.
