Portugal beat Nigeria 2-1 in their final pre-World Cup friendly on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria.
Pedro Neto opened the scoring in the 23rd minute before Akor Adams equalised for Nigeria in the 37th. Francisco Conceição, introduced as a second-half substitute, scored the winner to send Roberto Martinez’s side into the tournament with a confidence-boosting victory. The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday. Portugal could not have asked for better timing.
Cristiano Ronaldo started as captain for what was likely his final appearance on home soil before this World Cup. He worked for 65 minutes, had four shots, missed three big chances, and was replaced by Goncalo Ramos before the hour mark.
Leiria gave him a standing ovation when he came off, unbothered by the missed opportunities. For Ronaldo, now 41 years old and competing at what most expect to be his last World Cup, the night was about rhythm and readiness rather than statistics. Portugal got the result, and the captain got his minutes.
For Nigeria, the performance contained plenty of encouragement despite the defeat. The Super Eagles are not at the World Cup this summer, having lost their qualifying playoff to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties last year.
That absence stings for Nigerian fans. Yet the display in Leiria showed a team with genuine quality and a tactical identity under coach Eric Chelle. Nigeria were unbeaten in their previous six matches heading into this game, and they tested Portugal throughout. However, the result does not tell the full story.
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Match Details
- Portugal 2-1 Nigeria
- Venue: Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, Leiria, Portugal
- Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
- Goalscorers: Pedro Neto (23′), Francisco Conceição (75′); Akor Adams (37′)
- Portugal starting XI (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Goncalo Inacio, Ruben Dias, Nelson Semedo; Joao Neves, Vitinha; Francisco Trincao, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto; Cristiano Ronaldo
- Nigeria starting XI (4-3-1-2): Maduka Okoye; Victor Akpan, Calvin Bassey, Bright Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi; Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Tochukwu Nnadi; Fisayo Dele-Bashiru; Akor Adams, Moses Simon
First Half: Nigeria Hold Their Own
Portugal dominated possession in the opening exchanges but struggled to convert their territorial advantage into clear-cut chances. Ronaldo’s first effort, a long-range shot in the second minute, flew well over the bar. His most glaring miss arrived in the ninth minute, when Diogo Dalot played him clear on goal and he somehow dragged the ball wide of the near post with the goal at his mercy.
Pedro Neto broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute. Dalot collected a cross-field pass, controlled well, and found Neto unmarked inside the area. Neto swept a low finish into the far corner with confidence. Portugal looked in control.
Nigeria responded sharply. Adams drew the equaliser in the 37th minute with a composed finish after a neat combination with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Expecting a comfortable win, the Leiria crowd suddenly faced a more testing evening. Nigeria’s ability to threaten on the counter was a very notable aspect of the first half, with the Super Eagles producing four three-on-three breaks during the 45 minutes.
Key first-half stats:
- Ronaldo: 4 shots, 0 on target, 3 big chances missed, Sofascore Rating 6.2
- Adams: scored his sixth international goal for Nigeria
- Nigeria produced four counterattacking opportunities in the opening 45 minutes
- Ronaldo completed 17 of 18 passes (94 per cent accuracy) before his substitution
Second Half: Portugal Turn the Screw
Roberto Martinez made eight changes at half-time, with only Ronaldo and goalkeeper Diogo Costa remaining from the starting XI. This freshness showed immediately. Joao Felix had two long-range efforts saved by Maduka Okoye in the opening five minutes of the second half, with one strike striking the crossbar after a corner.
Ronaldo was replaced by Goncalo Ramos in the 64th minute to a warm reception from the Leiria crowd. This substitution was always the plan. Martinez had confirmed beforehand that no player would feature for the full 90 minutes in this match.
Meanwhile, the winner arrived in the 75th minute. Joao Cancelo picked up the ball on the right flank and whipped a hard cross into the area. Conceição connected cleanly, drilling the ball into the right corner past Okoye. Portugal had their lead, and Nigeria could not find a response in the final quarter of an hour.
Nigeria’s Encouraging Signs
Defeat aside, Nigeria showed enough in Leiria to give their supporters something to feel good about. Akor Adams was outstanding throughout, winning physical duels, pressing intelligently, and finishing with genuine quality for his equaliser. Dele-Bashiru was lively in the first half before being substituted at the hour mark alongside Ndidi, Simon, Ajayi, and Akpan as Chelle rotated his squad.
However, the absence of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, both rested after long club seasons, made the performance even more impressive. Nigeria were competitive against a side containing Champions League winners and World Cup contenders. That matters heading into their next campaign.
Alex Iwobi received a commemorative plaque before kick-off, having reached 100 caps for Nigeria. The Fulham midfielder became only the eighth player in Super Eagles history to reach the milestone. It was a proud moment in a difficult year for Nigerian football.
Portugal Head to the World Cup
Martinez’s side now travel to the United States for the tournament. Portugal open their World Cup campaign on 17 June against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Houston, Texas, before facing Uzbekistan on 23 June and Colombia in Miami on 27 June. Their victory over Nigeria rounds off a pre-tournament run of two wins and a draw from their last three friendlies.
For Ronaldo, the next chapter begins in Houston. He enters this World Cup with 143 international goals in 228 appearances, needing just one more to reach 144. Whether this is truly his final tournament remains to be seen. On Wednesday night in Leiria, the crowd treated every moment like it might be. Ronaldo, characteristically, looked unbothered either way.
