Indian football team faces their ultimate litmus test tonight as Khalid Jamil’s national side welcomes five-time World Cup champions Brazil to the iconic Salt Lake Stadium for a historic international friendly.
It marks the first-ever international match between these two nations that have their own journey of struggles in modern times.
Meanwhile, India enter the tie following an encouraging 1-1 draw against 44th-ranked Panama in Bengaluru last week, where forward Ryan Williams scored his second goal for the national team. Facing world No. 5 Brazil, however, represents a 133-place gap in the FIFA rankings, making this the highest-ranked opponent India has ever faced in an official match.
Head coach Khalid Jamil, meanwhile, named a 4-2-3-1 formation, relying heavily on goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and defender Anwar Ali to anchor a resilient backline against relentless pressure. Ryan will lead the attack, while Sahal Abdul Samad, playing as number 10 and will be key for the side.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil, on the other hand, arrive in Kolkata fresh off a 4-2 victory over Australia in Brisbane. The Italian manager has named a formidable squad featuring Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, young sensation Endrick, and defenders Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes. However, Endrick and Gabriel don’t start for Brazil tonight. Vini, however, starts on the left flank.