Tunde Omoniyi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face two major European sides in June as they take on Portugal national football team and Poland national football team in high-profile international friendlies.
The fixtures, scheduled as part of Nigeria’s rebuilding process under head coach Eric Chelle, will see the Super Eagles confront teams led by global stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, the matches are designed to help maintain the team’s competitive edge and build momentum ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria head into the June friendlies following encouraging performances in recent warm-up games, where the Super Eagles defeated Iran 2-1 before playing out a 2-2 draw against Jordan on March 31.
The first of the European tests will see Nigeria travel to Lisbon on June 6 to face Portugal, before taking on Poland a few days later.
The encounters are expected to provide a strong indication of the team’s progress since Chelle’s appointment.
Nigeria will rely heavily on the red-hot form of Victor Osimhen, who has been in sensational scoring form for Galatasaray.
The Super Eagles striker is expected to spearhead Nigeria’s attack against Portugal’s star-studded lineup that includes Ronaldo, Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes.
The last meeting between Nigeria and Portugal came in 2022, also in Lisbon, where Portugal trashed Nigeria by 4-0 victory, with Fernandes scoring twice.
The upcoming encounter therefore offers Nigeria an opportunity to measure their improvement and seek redemption.
For Portugal, coached by Roberto Martínez, the fixture will serve as a crucial tune-up as they sharpen preparations ahead of upcoming international competitions.
Investigator news reports that with two heavyweight European opponents lined up, June’s friendlies promise to be a significant test and a defining moment in Nigeria’s rebuilding journey.