
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured the All India Football Federation of government support for India’s proposed international match against five-time world champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3, AIFF…
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured the All India Football Federation of government support for India’s proposed international match against five-time world champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said. Brazil are ranked fifth in the world, while India are 138th. The match would be India’s first home fixture against a top-five FIFA-ranked team.
The assurance follows crowd-management concerns after chaotic scenes during Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata last December. Chaubey said a FIFA match would follow FIFA and AFC protocols, unlike a celebrity exhibition event. He said playing stronger opponents would help India assess its weaknesses and improve, after the team’s long dominance in South Asian football.
The easy narrative is that one glamorous fixture can transform Indian football, while the opposite claim is that facing Brazil is pointless because India may lose heavily. Both miss the practical test. The value lies in match organisation, player exposure and what follows, not in the score alone. Support must produce safe entry, disciplined crowd control and a credible preparation plan. The clearest measure will be whether India keeps arranging strong opponents after October 3.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.