Portugal Edges Past Nigeria 2-1 in Friendly; Ronaldo Remains Silent

Portugal's national football team, led by superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Nigeria in their final friendly match ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, despite missing several clear scoring opportunities.

Portugal, ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings, defeated Nigeria (ranked 26th) 2-1 in the friendly held at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, Portugal, on June 11 (KST).

Having won both of their pre-World Cup friendlies (a 2-1 win against Chile and a 2-1 win against Nigeria), Portugal is scheduled to travel to Palm Beach, Florida, on June 12 to set up their base camp.

Drawn into Group K for the North America World Cup, Portugal is set to face the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in the group stage.

In this friendly, which also served as a send-off ceremony for the World Cup, Portugal fielded a full-strength squad, including Ronaldo—who is set to make his record-breaking sixth World Cup appearance—as well as Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Vitinha, and João Neves (both PSG).

While Ronaldo was the most anticipated player, his lack of clinical finishing left fans disappointed.

His performance stood in stark contrast to that of his Argentine rival, Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), who came on as a substitute in the 70th minute against Iceland the previous day, scoring a penalty and playing a pivotal role in the team's final goal.

Starting as the lone striker, Ronaldo attempted a right-footed mid-range shot from just outside the penalty arc in the 2nd minute, but the ball sailed well over the goal.

In the 9th minute, after receiving a cross from Nélson Semedo (Fenerbahçe) on the right flank, Ronaldo found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper in the center of the penalty area. However, his right-footed shot narrowly missed the left post, squandering the chance.

Frustrated after missing the golden opportunity, Ronaldo vented his disappointment by forcefully kicking the ball after it rebounded off the advertising board.

Portugal continued their offensive pressure, and in the 23rd minute, Pedro Neto scored the opening goal with a powerful left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area that found the back of the Nigerian net.

In the 34th minute, Ronaldo attempted a header while rushing toward the center of the goal following a corner kick from Fernandes, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar, marking another missed opportunity.

Nigeria's counterattack was also sharp.

In the 37th minute, shortly after a goal kick, Akor Adams (Sevilla) muscled past Portugal's final defensive line, broke into the left side of the penalty area, and scored the equalizer with a left-footed shot.

The first half ended in a 1-1 draw. Early in the second half, in the 48th minute, Portugal was denied a lead when a mid-range shot from João Félix (Al-Nassr) struck the crossbar.

In the 50th minute, when a cross came in from the left, Ronaldo attempted a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area, but he mis-hit the ball, and it failed to find the target. He offered an awkward smile in response.

Ronaldo was eventually substituted for Gonçalo Ramos (PSG) in the 65th minute. Portugal secured the 2-1 victory in the 75th minute when Francisco Conceição (Juventus) scored the winning goal with a brilliant left-footed strike.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.