Rúben Dias and José Sá have highlighted the importance of Portugal national football team’s upcoming friendly against Nigeria national football team as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match, scheduled for next Wednesday at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, will be the second meeting between both sides in four years. Portugal are using the fixture, along with a game against Chile, to fine-tune tactics ahead of their World Cup opener against DR Congo, following their qualification through the African playoffs.
Sá said both friendlies are key to the team’s preparation, noting the focus is on performance and readiness before the tournament begins.
“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,” Sá stated to A Bola.
Dias, who is heading to his third World Cup, also stressed the value of the matches and the difficulty of facing different opponents at the tournament.
“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,” Dias remarked to A Bola.
Portugal are also grouped with Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.
