Kolkata, July 30: In a good news for Indian football fans, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Thursday announced that India will play a historic international friendly match against five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil on October 3. The squad is not finalised yet, however, Indian fans have a chance to witness their favourite footballers Neymar and Vinicius Jr to play in India.
The match will be held at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata and is expected to be one of the biggest games in the history of Indian football.
Brazil are the most successful men's national football team, having won the FIFA World Cup five times. They are currently ranked fifth in the FIFA World Rankings which makes them the highest-ranked team India will have faced since the rankings were introduced in 1992.
The match is expected to attract huge interest from football fans across the country, especially as India has one of the largest Brazilian fan bases outside Brazil.
AIFF Deputy Secretary General M. Satyanarayan called the match a landmark moment for Indian football. He said welcoming a team like Brazil to India is an extraordinary occasion and will become a memorable chapter in the country's football history.
Director of National Teams Subrata Paul said the match will be a special opportunity for the Indian players. He said facing one of the greatest football nations will help the team learn, improve and gain valuable experience. According to him, matches like these inspire players to dream bigger and create memories that stay with them throughout their careers.
