Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez has clarified that the upcoming friendly against Nigeria will not influence his starting XI for their World Cup opener against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

With all 26 players now available in camp, Portugal have a full squad at Martínez’s disposal for the match against the Super Eagles, including the Paris Saint-Germain quartet of Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves, and Gonçalo Ramos, who recently joined up with the national team after their UEFA Champions League commitments.

Matheus Nunes is expected to return to full training on Sunday after missing the previous match against Chile due to fitness concerns, while João Félix is also being considered for involvement against Nigeria.

Speaking after Portugal’s 2-1 win over Chile, Martínez stressed that his priority is building overall squad readiness ahead of the tournament rather than focusing on specific opponents.

Responding to questions about whether the Nigeria friendly would shape his lineup for the opening World Cup match, he told O Jogo: “No, no. We now have the four PSG players arriving, along with Matheus Nunes, and we expect to have all 26 or 27 players ready for the second game. We continue with individual preparation.”

He added that squad management decisions, including player rotation, are aimed at ensuring full fitness and balance across the team.

Portugal will face the Democratic Republic of Congo at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday, June 17, in their final preparations before the tournament.