Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has revealed that Nigeria will field a full-strength squad in their upcoming international friendlies against Poland and Portugal in June.
The fixtures offer Nigeria a crucial opportunity to improve its position in the global rankings.
Speaking in a press release made available to allnigeriasoccer.com, Chelle emphasized the importance of the high-profile encounters, noting that he intends to deploy his strongest available XI.
"For the big warm up games in June against Poland and Portugal, I will feature my first team players. These are games that can push us up the global ranking if we win them," Eric Chelle said.
Despite missing out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the Super Eagles remain one of Africa’s top sides.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament were dashed after a playoff defeat to DR Congo in November 2025, where they lost on penalties.
However, the team responded positively with an impressive showing at the Africa Cup of Nations, finishing third in the continental competition.
The Super Eagles secured the bronze medal after a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Egypt in the third-place match.
Following their AFCON performance, Nigeria are ranked third in Africa in the FIFA rankings, behind Morocco and Senegal.
Chelle will see the upcoming friendlies as a chance to rebuild momentum and boost Nigeria’s ranking ahead of the start of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Adeyemi Adewale
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