Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has described Wednesday’s international friendly against Portugal as a valuable test for Nigeria’s ongoing development under head coach Éric Chelle, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Super Eagles head into the clash in strong form, having recorded four wins and two draws in their last six matches, with just one regulation-time defeat in 24 games since Chelle took charge in January 2025.
Despite acknowledging the quality of the Portuguese side, Ndidi insisted Nigeria are ready for the challenge and sees the fixture as an important measure of the team’s progress.
“It will be a very good test for us; we faced the first test against Poland, and Portugal is a great team with great players as well,” Ndidi said. “It will be a massive test for us as a group, to our vision, to our aim as a team, to our growth.”
The Be?ikta? midfielder also praised Chelle for the positive transformation within the squad, highlighting improved unity and team spirit.
“He is a very good manager, an amazing guy. The way he brings the team together is really good because everyone is happy to have him around,” he said.
Ndidi stressed that the current Super Eagles setup is focused on long-term progress despite the disappointment of missing out on recent FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns.
“Missing out on the World Cup is really sad, but the aim is not to keep thinking about the past, but to look forward to the future,” he added. “We have a good mindset now, which is very positive going forward. We are not perfect, but we are improving every day.”
He further noted that facing top-level opposition like Portugal is essential for growth, saying the team must continue testing itself against elite nations.
“We don’t care who we are playing against, even the biggest countries in the world. The most important thing is that we are ready to win and keep improving,” Ndidi stated.
The Super Eagles captain concluded that the focus remains on building a stronger team capable of consistently qualifying for major tournaments and competing at the highest level.