Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has tipped Portugal as strong contenders to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying Roberto Martinez’s side possess all the qualities needed to become champions.
Portugal, known as the Seleção das Quinas, are widely regarded as one of the leading teams expected to challenge Argentina for the trophy at the tournament in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
Martinez’s squad is packed with top talent, including veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo, midfield stars Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, and exciting young players such as Vitinha and João Neves.
Portugal Among Favourites To Win Title
Chelle, whose team faces Portugal in an international friendly in Leiria on Wednesday night, praised the depth and balance of the Portuguese side, describing them as one of the most complete teams in world football.
“In every department on the field, they are good. In defence, they are strong. Of course, their full-backs are very fast and quick,” Chelle told a press conference.
“The midfielders play well with the ball, and they have the biggest star in the world, a striker, and their wingers are so fast.
“The way that this team plays, when they don’t have the ball, when they lose the ball, they try to put some pressure on the opponent. When they have the ball, they try to play deep end. This is a good team, and they have all.
“I watched their game against Chile. I was in the stadium, and it was a good game. The atmosphere was so good, and the game was good. I was a little disappointed after the red card.
“And once again, this team, in one month, can be the next world champion. This is a big chance for us to play against Portugal in their country.”
Chelle Not Thinking About Revenge
Portugal defeated the Super Eagles 4-0 in their previous meeting in November 2022, but Chelle has dismissed any notion of revenge ahead of the latest encounter.
Instead, he stressed that the fixture is an important opportunity for growth and assessment for his squad.
“The first thing is that we are playing a big team. So normally this (Portugal) team (can be the next world champions), so this is the big team,” Chelle added.
“As Wily (Ndidi) said, there are many big players in that team. So, we are very happy to have this chance to play against them.
“My only concern now is that the team stay focused, stick to our philosophy and the way that we want to play this game. This is not a question about the result.
“The most important goal and objective is to improve at every game. We have to come in that game with a great state of mind.”
