The Portugal national team completed its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in an international friendly played in Leiria, Portugal.
The match served as the final test for coach Roberto Martínez and his squad ahead of the World Cup, with captain Cristiano Ronaldo leading the Portuguese attack.
Portugal started brightly and took the lead in the 24th minute through forward Pedro Neto, who finished off a swift attacking move to put the hosts ahead. However, Nigeria responded strongly and equalized in the 38th minute when Akor Adams capitalized on a defensive mistake to make it 1-1.
In the second half, Roberto Martínez introduced several substitutions that strengthened Portugal’s attack. João Félix and Bernardo Silva helped the team gain greater control of the game before Francisco Conceição scored the winning goal in the 76th minute with a powerful strike that beat the Nigerian goalkeeper.
Despite the victory, much of the attention focused on Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed several clear scoring opportunities. The 41-year-old captain appeared unusually wasteful in front of goal, sparking debate about his form ahead of the World Cup. Nevertheless, Martínez has continued to express strong confidence in the experienced forward.
For Nigeria, despite not qualifying for this year’s World Cup, the team produced a spirited performance and showed impressive attacking quality. Players such as Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, and Akor Adams caused problems for Portugal’s defense on several occasions, underlining why the Super Eagles remain among Africa’s strongest national teams.
Portugal now head into the World Cup in high spirits after winning their final two warm-up matches against Chile and Nigeria. The squad is widely regarded as one of the tournament’s potential contenders thanks to its blend of experienced stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva, alongside a talented new generation of emerging players.
