Portugal vs Nigeria - prediction, team news, lineups

Portugal volition circular disconnected their preparations for the 2026 World Cup with a affable against Nigeria connected Wednesday night.

Roberto Martinez's broadside are gathering towards their tourney opener against the DR Congo connected June 17, but Nigeria failed to unafraid a presumption successful the finals of the summertime competition, having mislaid to the DR Congo successful the CAF playoff last connected penalties.

Match preview

It would beryllium just to spot Portugal among the favourites to triumph astatine the 2026 World Cup considering the endowment astatine Martinez's disposal, and it would beryllium immoderate communicative if Cristiano Ronaldo could triumph the World Cup successful what volition beryllium his last showing successful the prestigious competition.

Portugal volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a 2-1 triumph implicit Chile connected Saturday, with Goncalo Guedes and Bruno Fernandes connected the scoresheet successful the friendly, and the nationalist broadside present person 1 much lucifer earlier opening their 2026 World Cup.

Martinez's squad volition unfastened their World Cup against the DR Congo connected June 17, earlier besides facing Uzbekistan and Colombia successful Group K, and it would beryllium 1 of the biggest shocks of each clip if they failed to marque it retired of that peculiar section.

Portugal person ne'er won the World Cup, with their best-ever showing successful the tourney coming successful 1966, erstwhile they finished third. Last clip out, the nationalist broadside reached the quarter-finals, but they were really knocked retired successful the radical signifier backmost successful 2014.

Selecao das Quinas person lone really faced Nigeria connected 1 erstwhile occasion, with that meeting, which was a friendly, coming successful November 2022, and it ended successful a 4-0 triumph for Portugal.

Nigeria, arsenic mentioned, are 1 of the biggest nations not to person qualified for the 2026 World Cup, so determination volition beryllium no Victor Osimhen at the competition.

The Super Eagles person been regulars successful the World Cup since 1994, featuring successful six of the past 8 tournaments, making the circular of 16 doubly during that period, but they mislaid to the DR Congo successful the CAF playoff last connected penalties, leaving them without a spot astatine the last table.

Eric Chelle's squad volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a 2-2 gully with Poland, and the nationalist broadside are unbeaten successful their past six games successful each competitions.

Nigeria person really won 9 of their past 12 matches, including 2 games against Zimbabwe and Jamaica astatine the extremity of May to clasp the Unity Cup successful London, truthful they volition supply beardown contention for Portugal up of the 2026 World Cup.

As good arsenic Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze volition beryllium among the notable Nigerian players to beryllium absent from this summer's tournament.

Portugal friendlies form:

WLWDWW

Portugal signifier (all competitions):

DLWDWW

Nigeria friendlies form:

LWDWWD

Nigeria signifier (all competitions):

WWDWWD

Team News

Paris Saint-Germain quartet Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos person present linked up with the Portugal squad pursuing their engagement successful the Champions League final, and the anticipation is that each 4 volition beryllium progressive against Nigeria.

Head manager Martinez volition marque changes from the broadside that took to the tract for the clash against Chile, with Diogo Dalot, Goncalo Inacio, Pedro Neto and Goncalo Guedes perchance being progressive from the archetypal whistle.

Diogo Costa should besides beryllium backmost betwixt the sticks, portion Mendes, Vitinha and Neves could each commencement aft helping PSG to marque it successive Champions League crowns.

Rafael Leao was sent disconnected against Chile but volition beryllium disposable to instrumentality to the tract successful this game; Cristiano Ronaldo could beryllium rested from the archetypal whistle aft playing the archetypal fractional past clip out.

As for Nigeria, Osimhen and Lookman are not with the squad, truthful the duo volition beryllium notable absentees erstwhile the Super Eagles instrumentality to the tract against Portugal.

Terem Moffi of Porto and Akor Adams of Sevilla started arsenic the beforehand 2 against Poland past clip out, and that is again expected to beryllium the lawsuit successful this friendly.

There should beryllium different commencement successful the mediate of the midfield for Ndidi, portion Coventry City's Frank Onyeka is besides expected to beryllium successful the starting broadside for Nigeria.

Portugal imaginable starting lineup:

D Costa; Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; Vitinha, Fernandes, J Neves; Bernardo, Guedes, Neto

Nigeria imaginable starting lineup:

Okoye; Bewene, Ogbu, Fernandez, Onyemaechi; Simon, Onyeka, Ndidi, Nnadi; Adams, Moffi

We say: Portugal 2-1 Nigeria

Portugal volition privation a pugnacious trial connected Wednesday, and Nigeria are a beardown team, truthful we are expecting a adjacent lucifer here. Martinez volition again marque wholesale changes during the lucifer to support the players caller for the World Cup, but we are backing Portugal to unafraid the win.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.