Super Eagles Coach Eric Chel Aims for Improvement vs Portugal

Eric Chel, the current coach of the Super Eagles, has expressed his desire to see improvements in the team's performance ahead of a friendly match against Portugal scheduled for Wednesday in Leiria. This encounter comes four years after Nigeria suffered a 4-0 defeat to Portugal during a warm-up for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Since Chel's tenure began in January 2025, the Super Eagles have shown little change, having missed the last two World Cup appearances. Despite this, Chel is determined to see progress in the rebuilding process of the national team, emphasizing the importance of improvement in every game rather than focusing solely on results.

He has overseen 24 matches, with only one loss in regular time, a 2-1 defeat against Egypt in December 2025. The upcoming match against Portugal is seen as a crucial test before Nigeria's opening game in the 2026 World Cup against DR Congo.

Additionally, the match will mark midfielder Alex Iwobi's 100th senior appearance for Nigeria, kicking off at 8:45 PM Nigerian time.