Russia head coach Valery Karpin has acknowledged the quality of Nigeria’s Super Eagles ahead of their international friendly in October.
The two sides are set to meet at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 16 months after playing out a 1-1 draw in Moscow.
Nigeria started on the wrong foot in that encounter, conceding an own goal by Semi Ajayi before Tolu Arokodare equalised for the Super Eagles with a 71st-minute strike.
Karpin points to FIFA rankings
Russia will also face Iran and Namibia during the upcoming international window, but Karpin expects the games against Nigeria and Iran to provide a tougher test.
The latest FIFA rankings place Nigeria 26th in the world, with Iran 22nd and Russia 35th. Namibia are ranked 121st.
Speaking to the Russian Football Union’s official website after announcing his 29-man squad, Karpin highlighted Nigeria’s position among the world’s top teams.
“Two worthy, strong opponents – Iran and Nigeria. Just look at the FIFA rankings. These teams are among the top 30. There’s no need to talk about them much, we’ve all seen them,” Karpin said.
“This will be our third game against Iran in a while, and our second against Nigeria. The level of these teams is clear. We’re interested to see how we compare against such opponents.”
Super Eagles arrive with strong record
Karpin acknowledged that Namibia present a different challenge based on the rankings but warned against underestimating them.
“As for Namibia, based on the ranking, they’re not at the same level as Iran and Nigeria. But they have to play against everyone, and it won’t be easy,” he added.
“This was demonstrated at the World Cup, where Cape Verde went undefeated in regulation time.”
Nigeria will enter the meeting with Russia having produced a largely positive run since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Eagles have recorded three wins, two draws and one defeat during that period, with their only loss coming against a Portugal side featuring Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.
