Brazil’s strongest possible XI for historic clash vs India
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Brazil will travel to India for an international friendly on October 3rd at the Salt Lake Stadium.
The Brazilian national football team, who are returning to the pitch for the first time since their elimination in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026, will end their trip to Asia. They will play their final game of the September-October international break.
While two friendlies against Australia were relatively realistic, what’s unrealistic and surprising for a lot of the footballing masses is that Brazil will travel to India. All to play a match against the Indian national football team at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on October 3rd.
It’s such a huge opportunity for India to test themselves against the best in the world. It will also attract the people of India to develop more interest in the national team. They would be playing a world No. 5-ranked Brazil while being ranked 137th themselves in the FIFA Men’s rankings.
Carlo Ancelotti has announced a heavily rotated squad, with just nine World Cup stars retaining their spots while every other player has been replaced. He looks to build the right core for the next four-year cycle.
However, there have been several injury concerns. The likes of Wesley and Joao Pedro had to withdraw from the camp even before the start of the international break. They were replaced by Fluminense’s Martinelli and AS Monaco’s Vanderson.
Following the two friendlies in Australia, where they drew the first game 1-1 and won the second 4-2, further injury concerns emerged. The team’s most lethal forward in front of goal, Raphinha, had to withdraw from the India game due to a thigh injury.
Despite that, Carlo Ancelotti still has a star-studded squad at his disposal to compete against a relatively weaker Indian side.
Here’s how Brazil could potentially line up against India at the Salt Lake Stadium given the rich options and the starlets they have in their squad.
Brazil’s possible starting 11 against India
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
Goalkeeper: Pedro Morisco
With Carlo Ancelotti going for a complete overhaul in the goalkeeping department, omitting Alisson, Ederson and Weverton from the squad, he selected Otavio, Pedro Morisco and Hugo Souza. The latter remains the most experienced goalkeeper in the Brazilian squad at 27 years of age.
Carlo Ancelotti has already tested Hugo Souza in the first friendly against the Socceroos, while Otavio got the nod in the second one. Hence, Pedro Morisco is expected to get his chance against the Blue Tigers and showcase his excellent shot-stopping abilities at the international level. Morisco also has a very good record in penalty situations, while possessing the ability to play as a sweeper-keeper.
Left-back: Douglas Santos
Douglas Santos, who started every game in the FIFA World Cup 2026 for Brazil, is expected to remain the first choice following his strong performances in the competition. Although not a flashy or exciting full-back, Douglas was fairly consistent with both his defensive and offensive output at the tournament.
At 32, he could find himself on the bench for a few minutes to accommodate Mauro Junior, who has been handed a debut call-up by Carlo Ancelotti. The coach is eager to test new players and find a permanent solution to Brazil’s left-back woes.
Center-back: Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel, the Arsenal defender who played every minute at the FIFA World Cup 2026, is one of the two experienced options in the Brazilian centre-back department alongside captain Marquinhos. He is one of the best defenders in European football. With his elite positional awareness combined with the physical and aerial prowess he possesses, he can hold the defence.
With Bremer being omitted by Carlo Ancelotti, Gabriel would undisputedly be the first choice to start at LCB. However, against a team like India, the Brazilian head coach could be tempted to test new options like Arthur Dias, who possesses a similar profile to Gabriel.
Center-back: Marquinhos
The duo of Marquinhos and Gabriel, who were pretty solid at the World Cup, are expected to retain their spots as starters. Marquinhos brings much-needed experience and composure at the back. His ability to sniff out danger inside the box and win both aerial and ground duels ranks him among the best defenders in the world.
Marquinhos, the captain of the team and the most experienced player in the current set-up, has a huge responsibility in this camp, not just as a player on the pitch but also as a leader who can mentor the young trio of centre-backs, Jair Cunha, Vitor Reis and Arthur Dias. This trio is new to the NT set-up.
Right-back: Vanderson
Wesley, the right-back who unfortunately had to miss out on the flight to the FIFA World Cup 2026, returned to the Brazilian national team setup for the September-October friendlies. However, another unfortunate injury to the AS Roma full-back has ruled him out. Ancelotti called up Vanderson as his replacement.
Vanderson, an aggressive defender known for his tackles and recoveries, is an excellent modern-day full-back. He can also make a significant impact in the final third through his overlapping runs and dangerous crosses. He recently opened the scoring in Brazil’s 4–2 win over Australia, scoring a brilliant right-footed goal from the edge of the box.
Central-Midfield: Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes, Arsenal’s latest midfield engine, is no longer just another midfield option in the Brazilian NT set-up. He is now their most experienced midfielder, with Casemiro, Paqueta and Fabinho all being left out after the trio featured in the recent FIFA World Cup.
Guimaraes is a workhorse in midfield who is a proper number eight, with the ability to run up and down the pitch for the entire game. He has elite vision and the ability to play line-breaking passes with ease, registering four assists in the World Cup. Defensively, he recovers the ball effortlessly through his brilliant positional awareness, while also retaining possession even under extreme pressure.
Central-Midfield: Danilo
Danilo, who has been a constant presence in the Brazilian NT setup ever since the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, keeps his place in the team despite the wholesale changes made by the head coach. The Botafogo midfielder is expected to have a more important role in the team as a starter after being an understudy to Casemiro so far.
Danilo is often praised for his brilliant ability to win tackles and make crucial interceptions in the middle of the park, while staying composed on the ball in possession. Like Guimaraes, he also possesses an excellent work rate, combined with the acceleration and agility to progress the ball forward.
Left-Wing: Vinicius Junior
Vinicius will undoubtedly be the first-choice left-winger and the most potent threat in the Brazilian attack. He is expected to be a showstopper and will undoubtedly be one of the reasons India will fill up the Salt Lake Stadium, with fans turning up to watch his magic live.
Vinicius’ strengths are well known to football fans around the world. The Real Madrid winger is known for his explosive bursts of pace, exceptional 1v1 abilities and his exciting ability to cut inside and score curling bangers. He recently converted from the spot to score Brazil’s fourth goal against Australia in his side’s 4-2 victory.
Former Atletico Madrid winger Samuel Lino remains the only other natural left-wing option.
Attacking-Midfield: Gabriel Bontempo
Raphinha, who has been on fire this season after scoring 14 goals in just eight appearances for FC Barcelona across all competitions, carried his excellent form into the international break. He registered an assist in Brazil’s first game against Australia before scoring in the second. However, he has now suffered a thigh injury, forcing Ancelotti to look at other options.
That’s where Santos’ young midfield sensation Gabriel Bontempo could come in, having impressed the head coach with his performance in the last game, where he registered an assist. Extremely versatile, Bontempo possesses a knack for making late runs into the box and getting on the scoresheet. His excellent link-up play with his teammates, combined with his exceptional technical ability, makes him a natural option to fill the creative role.
Right-Wing: Rayan
Estevao, another player like Wesley who had to miss out on the FIFA World Cup squad due to an injury, is back in the Brazilian national team setup. However, Carlo Ancelotti is expected to prefer Rayan as his first-choice right winger, placing high hopes on the youngster just as he did during the FIFA World Cup.
Rayan is an exciting right winger with exceptional abilities in 1v1 situations, possessing the ability to get past defenders with his big stride and direct dribbling. He also poses a good aerial threat and often operates as an inverted winger, either cutting inside with the ball at his feet or making runs towards central areas to convert dangerous balls and crosses into goals.
When Brazil were all but set for a shocking start to their Asian tour after falling 1–0 behind against Australia, Rayan rescued his nation. He scored a 90+5th-minute stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a draw.
Striker: Endrick
Joao Pedro, who was in red-hot form after registering six goal contributions in the four Premier League games he has played so far, had to withdraw from the national team camp with a knee injury. This further increases the chances for Endrick to prove himself at the international level despite his limited minutes at the club level.
A technically gifted young striker, Endrick is lethal with his finishing from both close and long range. He is quick and physical, shields the ball well and possesses incredible pressing stamina, constantly trying to win the ball back. Despite his young age, Endrick is usually unfazed by big occasions, having already scored four times for the Brazilian national team.
He also registered an assist in Brazil’s recent friendly against Australia after coming off the bench to replace the injured Raphinha.
Why is Raphinha unavailable for Brazil against India?
Raphinha suffered a thigh injury in the second friendly against Australia and has been ruled out of the India clash.
Which club does Rayan play for?
Brazilian winger Rayan plays for AFC Bournemouth in the English Premier League.
When is the India vs Brazil clash scheduled?
India’s historic clash against Brazil will take place on 3rd October 2026 at the Salt Lake Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 pm IST.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.