Portugal national football team have named veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo in their squad for the upcoming international friendly against the Nigeria national football team as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez unveiled a star-studded squad for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The European giants are scheduled to face Nigeria on June 10 at the Dr. Magalhães Pessoa Stadium in Portugal in one of their final warm-up matches before the World Cup begins.
The inclusion of Ronaldo, Portugal’s captain and all-time leading scorer, has generated excitement ahead of the high-profile clash with the Super Eagles. Despite his age, the former Real Madrid CF and Manchester United F.C. star remains a key figure in the Portuguese national team setup.
Portugal’s squad also features several top players currently starring across Europe’s elite leagues, including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rafael Leão and João Félix.
On the Nigerian side, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has already indicated that he intends to parade a strong squad for the encounter as Nigeria continue preparations for future international competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The friendly is expected to provide a major test for the Super Eagles against one of Europe’s strongest national teams while also giving Portugal an opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the World Cup.
Portugal have been drawn in Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside DR Congo national football team, Uzbekistan national football team and Colombia national football team.
Goalkeepers:
Diogo Costa, José Sá, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho.
Defenders:
Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Ruben Dias, Tomas Araujo.
Midfielders:
Ruben Neves, Samuel Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva.
Forwards:
João Félix, Francisco Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo.
