Cristiano Ronaldo to Face Nigeria for the First Time as Portugal Meet Super Eagles in June 10 Friendly

Cristiano Ronaldo will face Nigeria for the first time in his career when Portugal host the Super Eagles in an international friendly on June 10, 2026. The Al Nassr forward was absent from the last meeting between the two nations — a 4-0 Portugal victory in June 2022 — having withdrawn from the squad due to gastritis ahead of the Qatar World Cup.

Now 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to feature prominently for both club and country. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been included in Roberto Martínez’s full-strength Portugal squad as the European side use the fixture to finalise preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Super Eagles arrive in this fixture carrying the memory of that 4-0 defeat four years ago, a result that cast a long shadow over Nigerian football ahead of Qatar 2022. Nigeria subsequently failed to qualify for both the 2022 and 2026 World Cup finals, and head coach Eric Chelle‘s side are using this summer window — which also includes a match against Poland — to rebuild momentum ahead of upcoming AFCON qualifiers.

Nigeria’s preparations received encouragement from a 2-2 draw against Poland in Warsaw, a result that demonstrated resilience against a well-organised European side. Alex Iwobi was identified as the standout performer in that match, contributing composure and technical quality in midfield. The camp was further boosted by the arrival of Iwobi and AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze at the training base ahead of the Portugal fixture, according to reports.

However, the Poland result also exposed persistent vulnerabilities. Nigeria struggled to manufacture clear-cut chances throughout the match, and goalkeeper Francis Uzoho had a difficult evening. Calvin Bassey and the recently retired William Troost-Ekong worked hard defensively, while substitute Frank Onyeka injected energy from the bench. The broader concern — an inability to sustain offensive threat at international level — remains unresolved.

Portugal’s danger extends well beyond Ronaldo. Bruno Fernandes, the Manchester United midfielder, was the orchestrator of the 4-0 demolition in 2022 and enters this match having set a new Premier League all-time assists record during the 2025/26 club season. Bernardo Silva is expected to operate alongside Fernandes in midfield, while Gonçalo Ramos and João Félix provide attacking options from a squad of considerable depth.

For Nigeria’s defensive unit, the task of containing Portugal’s transition play — led by Fernandes — represents as significant a challenge as dealing with Ronaldo’s presence in and around the penalty area. Martínez’s side are among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup, and this friendly serves as a meaningful test of their readiness under competitive conditions.

The Super Eagles confirmed their summer schedule via the official Super Eagles Twitter account, with matches against Poland and Portugal forming the core of their pre-AFCON qualifier programme. June 10 will mark a historic first: in over two decades of international football, Ronaldo has never shared a pitch with a Nigerian national team.