Portugal star Trincão compares Nigeria to Congo, outlines plan to beat Super Eagles

Portugal forward Francisco Trincão said Nigeria will be a hard test when the two sides meet in an international friendly on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles come into the match in good form, having beaten Zimbabwe and Jamaica and drawing with Poland in their last three friendlies.

Trincão stressed that Portugal’s main objective remains to execute their game plan and build momentum ahead of the FIFA World Cup, even as Nigeria has shown strong recent performances.

During a press conference on Tuesday, the former Barcelona player compared the physicality of both African teams, likening Nigeria to Congo, Portugal’s opponent in the 2026 World Cup.

According to Record, Trincão said, “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.”

He added that Portugal would focus on its own performance rather than specifically tailoring its approach 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 said.

As Portugal finalises its World Cup preparations, the Super Eagles look to secure a positive result and continue their rebuilding ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.