Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has backed Portugal to make a strong impact at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, describing them as one of the best teams in the world.
Portugal were forced to a 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener against the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Yoane Wissa's first half injury time strike cancelling out João Neves' early opener.
Before Portugal's clash with the Leopards, they defeated the Super Eagles 2-1 in a high-profile international friendly staged at Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa on June 10.
Iwobi believes Nigeria's performance provided plenty of positives despite the result and insisted the Super Eagles can take confidence from competing against one of football’s elite nations.
"What an experience, what a trip. Good vibes, good energy, good people, a lot of love. Obviously, we lost, but there were a lot of lessons from the game. There are a lot of positives to take from the game," Iwobi said on Alexander Yaa Digg podcast.
"I feel like we played really well. Good luck to Portugal in the World Cup, I hope they do well and go far. But on a selfish note, we did really well against one of the best teams in the world, in my opinion, and we can leave the game with our heads held high."
The match against Portugal marked a significant milestone for Iwobi, who earned his 100th appearance for Nigeria.
The 30-year-old expressed his gratitude for reaching the landmark and thanked everyone who has supported his international career.
"It was nice to reach the milestone of 100 caps for Nigeria. It was a special moment, and I appreciate the love and appreciation everyone has shown me. It has been nice," he said.
"Hopefully, I can achieve a lot more caps in the future. I'm not ready to hang up the boots anytime soon. I'm enjoying my time and hopefully achieve something with the national team."
Iwobi added that representing Nigeria remains a source of pride, crediting his family, teammates and national team staff for playing important roles in his journey.
"To play 100 times for the Nigeria national team is a big achievement in itself. I'm very grateful because there are so many people representing. My family is Nigerian, and I always want to represent my mum, dad and sister first and foremost because without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. And my teammates and staff — without them, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Iwobi made his Nigeria debut in a friendly against the Democratic Republic of Congo in October 2015, before opening his international goal account a year later with a strike against Zambia in a 2018 FifaWorld Cup qualifying fixture.
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