Former Nigeria international Friday Ekpo has backed the Super Eagles to produce their best football when they face Poland in Warsaw and Portugal in Leiria next month, arguing that the calibre of opposition Eric Chelle has arranged will pull maximum effort and quality from the players in camp.
Ekpo, who earned multiple senior Nigeria caps during the 1980s and has remained an active voice in Nigerian football commentary, expressed genuine excitement about the two fixtures when he spoke to FootballInNigeria.com.ng. His central argument was straightforward: when top players face top opposition, standards rise naturally. He pointed to the quality on both sides of the fixtures, noting that Poland and Portugal each carry a squad capable of testing any aspect of Nigeria’s game, and that this level of scrutiny is exactly what Chelle needs ahead of the AFCON 2027 qualifying series that begins in September. Fans who want to follow both friendlies live can check the Bet9ja friendly match offer page for the best available markets before the June window opens.
Ekpo was also encouraged by the squad Chelle has assembled for the June window. The coach has called up a blend of experienced internationals and players making their first appearances in the senior setup, a combination the former midfielder described as exactly the kind of environment that brings out ambition in new faces and urgency in established ones. “I am excited that the Super Eagles will be playing Portugal and Poland in an international friendly,” Ekpo said. “These high profile games will bring out the best in some of the invited players. Seeing the list of invited players for the friendlies, I know we will see the best of the Super Eagles.”
Who Chelle Has Called Up for the June Window
The squad Chelle has named for the Poland and Portugal friendlies is his most star studded of the year. Victor Osimhen returns from Galatasaray for what will be his first Super Eagles involvement since the 2025 AFCON, when his relationship with the technical crew was complicated by fitness management disagreements. Ademola Lookman, who completed a move from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid this summer, is also included, as are Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Frank Onyeka and Paul Onuachu. The presence of Osimhen and Lookman together in the same squad announcement signals that Chelle is moving past the friction of earlier camps and reassembling the most complete attacking lineup available to him.
Notable names in Nigeria’s June 2026 friendly squad
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid), Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor), Maduka Okoye (Udinese), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto).
What makes the squad particularly interesting is who sits alongside the established names. Chelle has maintained his commitment to bringing in new players, with several debutants or near debutants included alongside the senior core. That tension between established stars and hungry newcomers is precisely the dynamic Ekpo had in mind when he described the games as likely to bring out the best from everyone involved. Nigerian fans backing the Super Eagles in both friendlies can use the Bet9ja’s YOHAIG promo code for an enhanced opening offer before the Warsaw kick-off.
Why Poland and Portugal Matter Beyond the Results
Neither of these friendlies counts for FIFA ranking points in a meaningful way that will affect Nigeria’s seeding for AFCON 2027 qualifying. What they offer instead is something harder to manufacture in competitive football: the freedom to experiment, to see how players respond to elite level pressure, and to test tactical combinations that Chelle has been building in camp but has not yet been able to validate against world class opposition.
Poland qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and will arrive in Warsaw buoyed by months of preparation. Robert Lewandowski, now 37, is still their captain and starting striker, and his experience of playing against African national teams across multiple World Cups and friendlies makes him a useful benchmark for how Nigeria’s defence handles a physical, world-class centre forward. For the Super Eagles’ backline, keeping Lewandowski quiet will be one of the most instructive tests of the entire June window. Fans can already browse markets for both games using the Bet9ja first bet bonus page for an enhanced opening stake ahead of June 3.
Portugal, meanwhile, bring arguably the deepest squad of any European nation not currently occupying a top four world ranking. Bruno Fernandes will captain the side in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who retired from international football in February 2026, and the combination of Premier League-based players throughout their lineup gives the Super Eagles additional tactical intelligence to work with, given how many of Chelle’s own players are based in England. Nigeria’s Group D for AFCON 2027 qualifying features Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau, a group the Super Eagles are strongly favoured to top. The work done in June will determine whether they arrive at those games match hardened or simply well-drilled.
📌 Did You Know?
- Friday Ekpo is a former Super Eagles midfielder who was part of the Nigeria squad during the 1980s and was widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted players of his generation in domestic Nigerian football. He was an instrumental figure in the NPFL during the early years of the competition.
- Poland’s PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, where the June 3 friendly will be played, has a capacity of 58,145 and is the largest stadium in Poland. It hosted the 2022 UEFA Nations League matches and is the country’s primary international football venue.
- Portugal’s Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, where Nigeria travel for the June 10 fixture, has a capacity of around 22,000 and has hosted Portugal senior friendlies on multiple occasions. The city of Leiria is located approximately 130 kilometres north of Lisbon.
- Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football in February 2026 after Portugal’s final 2026 World Cup qualifier, ending a career in which he scored 130 international goals, a world record. Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United has since taken over the captaincy of the Selecão.
- Robert Lewandowski, who Nigeria will face in the Poland friendly, has scored over 80 international goals for Poland and led the country to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At 37, he remains one of the most technically accomplished centre forwards in world football.
- Nigeria’s AFCON 2027 qualifying group contains Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau. Of the three opponents, Guinea-Bissau have the highest FIFA ranking and will be the most competitive side Nigeria face in the group, having reached the knockout rounds at AFCON 2023 for the first time in their history.
- The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, making it the first edition of the tournament to be spread across three nations simultaneously. The tournament is currently scheduled for January and February 2027.
