Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle says he wants to see his team play better when they face Portugal in a friendly match in Leiria on Wednesday. Nigeria and Portugal will meet again after four years. The last time they played, the Selecao beat the Eagles 4-0 in a warm-up game before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Since Chelle took over in January 2025, not much has changed for the Super Eagles. Nigeria is set to miss out on a second World Cup in a row. But Chelle is focused on making progress with the national team, even as he prepares for contract talks.
"Like I said about the philosophy and the way that we want to play this game, this is not a question about the result. Of course, we played three years ago, we lost. So now, this is not a question about that. The most important thing, the most important objective is to improve with every game," Chelle said in his pre-match interview.
"So, we have to come back with a great state of mind and our philosophy, of course."
Since taking charge of the Super Eagles, Chelle has overseen 24 matches. He has lost only once in regular time, which was a 2-1 defeat to Egypt in a pre-Africa Cup of Nations friendly in Cairo in December 2025.
For Portugal, Nigeria will be a tough opponent as they prepare for their first game in the 2026 World Cup against DR Congo next Wednesday. Chelle knows how important this match is for them.
"I think they want to play an African team because of the intensity of the game. You know, when I speak about that, I speak about physically. So, this is a good opportunity for Portugal to play against us."
Before the match begins, Nigeria will honour midfielder Alexander Iwobi as he reaches 100 senior appearances for the country. The game will start at 8:45 p.m. Nigerian time.
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