Portugal forward, Francisco Trincão, has characterized Nigeria as a tough opponent and anticipates a difficult match when the two countries play in an international friendly on Wednesday.
With wins over Zimbabwe and Jamaica and a draw against Poland in their previous three friendly games, the Super Eagles are in strong form going into the match.
Trincão maintained that Portugal’s main goal is still to carry out their strategy and build momentum before the FIFA World Cup, despite Nigeria’s impressive recent performances.
Speaking at the press conference on Tuesday, Trincão highlighted the physical characteristics of both African teams and compared the Super Eagles to Congo, Portugal’s opponent in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Record, Trincão stated, “We need to take advantage of the game. These two teams are comparable. Both of them are physical. We must concentrate on what we have been practicing, examine our options and learn some subtleties from them.
Regarding Portugal’s strategy for the match, the former Barcelona player emphasized that the team would prioritize its own performance instead of specifically adjusting to Nigeria.
“We will strive to perform at our best. They are a team comparable to Congo. We will play in accordance with our training. Our focus will be on ourselves rather than on Nigeria. It will be challenging. We aim to deliver a strong performance and enter the World Cup with confidence,” he stated.
As Portugal seeks to finalize their preparations for the World Cup, the Super Eagles are keen to achieve a favorable outcome and advance their rebuilding efforts in anticipation of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.