Portugal Defeats Nigeria 2-1 in Final World Cup Preparation Match

Leiria. Portugal has registered a 2-1 victory against Nigeria in their final preparation match for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Although this victory has sent Portugal on their World Cup journey with high morale, the match turned out to be somewhat disappointing for the team's veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the match held in Leiria on Wednesday night, former star of Manchester United and Real Madrid, Ronaldo, who is already 41 years old, missed golden opportunities to score. Ronaldo, who holds the record for the most goals in men's international football with 143 goals, failed to find the back of the net even when the goalkeeper was the only one ahead in both halves of the game.

Coach Roberto Martinez gave Ronaldo more playing time on the field compared to other outfield players who started in the initial eleven, but he was substituted in the 65th minute. With this World Cup journey, Ronaldo is also set to equal the record for playing in the most World Cups, with six appearances.

The start of the game, however, was positive for Portugal. Pedro Neto scored in the 23rd minute, giving Portugal an initial lead. But Nigeria, which failed to qualify for the World Cup, made a strong comeback in the game.

In the 37th minute of the game, Adkor Adams scored, bringing Nigeria to a 1-1 tie. Nigeria had rested its two main players, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, for this match due to their long professional seasons.

Portuguese coach Martinez made eight substitutions at halftime to give as many players as possible a chance to practice on the field. Francisco Conceicao, one of the 11 substitute players who entered the field in the second half, became the hero for Portugal. He cut inside from the right flank in the 75th minute, struck the ball powerfully, and sent it into the far corner of the post, giving the team a 2-1 victory.

Portugal, which had previously defeated Chile 2-1 in a friendly match, registered this as their second consecutive win. Nigeria's focus will now shift towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

In the World Cup 2026, Portugal is in Group 'K', where they will face the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uzbekistan, and Colombia. Portugal will begin their World Cup campaign next Wednesday against the DRC in Houston, Texas, USA. The match is scheduled to start at 12 PM local time.