Rúben Dias and José Sá have explained why Portugal’s friendly against Nigeria is important before the 2026 World Cup.
Portugal internationals Rúben Dias and José Sá have underlined the importance of their international friendly against Nigeria as A Seleção das Quinas continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The European giants will host the Super Eagles on Wednesday at the Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria in what is expected to be one of their final major tests before the tournament begins.
Portugal is using Nigeria clash as World Cup preparation
The friendly against Nigeria comes after another warm-up fixture against Chile and is viewed as a vital opportunity for head coach Roberto Martínez to assess his team against high-quality opposition.
Portugal will open their World Cup campaign against DR Congo, a side that famously denied Nigeria qualification by winning the final African playoff.
José Sá says every match matters
Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper José Sá believes the matches against Chile and Nigeria will play a key role in ensuring Portugal is fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
Speaking to Portuguese outlet A Bola, the experienced shot-stopper stressed the importance of maintaining focus and intensity throughout the preparation period.
He said, “These will be two very important games against Chile and Nigeria to prepare for the World Cup.
“We are focused on giving our best and preparing well for the first game in the competition.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City defender Rúben Dias also emphasised the value of facing teams with different footballing styles before the tournament begins.
The centre-back, who is preparing for his third FIFA World Cup appearance, noted that experience has taught him never to underestimate any opponent on the global stage.
When asked about the importance of playing teams such as Chile and Nigeria, Dias delivered a clear message.
He said, “Yes, they will be extremely important. This is my third World Cup, and I have already experienced firsthand, in various and different circumstances, the difficulty of playing against anyone in the World Cup.”
Portugal enters the tournament with high expectations thanks to a squad packed with world-class talent.
The team will be aiming to improve on previous World Cup campaigns and finally add football’s biggest prize to their European Championship triumph of 2016.
Their group-stage opponents at the World Cup will be DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in Group K.