What happened last time Brazil played in India?

The Blue Tigers are set to host Brazil at home on 3rd October

The Indian men’s football team are ready to face four different FIFA World Cup 2026 opponents, including Brazil, and all the teams have recently featured on the world’s grandest stage, as the Blue Tigers have a very packed international schedule in the coming days.

And as the game approaches, with the pace, it brings back memories of when India first hosted a South American Nation like Brazil at home in 2016 in the BRICS U-17 Football Cup. The Blue Colts played their very first elite game against one of the football giants in this tournament on 13th October, 2016, as both sides met at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.

This was the last time India faced Brazil on their soil in any age group, as Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr, came to India nine years ago to feature in this competition, following AIFF suggested this structural tournament before the start of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to gain more international exposure regarding the development of football.

The Blue Tigers are all set to lock horns against the five-time FIFA World Cup champions, Brazil, on 3rd October 2026, at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata. And for  India, it will be a great opportunity to come up against the Selecao, who are ranked fifth in the FIFA World ranking and experience the footballing culture, speed, technical quality and intensity of one of international football’s biggest sides.

Here is a detailed look at what happened when India last faced Brazil.

Brazil clinched the game against the Blue Colts

A game to remember for every Indian football fan in 2016 who watched the full 90 minutes of the game with immense pride held in their positive heart, as despite eventually losing 3-1 to the Brazil U-17 Men’s National Football Team, the Blue Colts played a great brand of football and showed plenty of character against the five-time world champion nation.

Brazilian side who won the BRICS U-17 Cup 2016, scored their first goal, relying on Brenner Silva’s goal in the first 2 minutes of play when he found the back of the net from outside the box; with the goal, they got their much-needed lead in the first half. But India somehow managed to score the dreamy equaliser through Komal Thatal’s strike in the 19th minute, as the goal gave India the confidence. The Brazilians regained their lead in the 30th minute after Santos scored, as they went 2-1 into halftime.

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Blue Colts responded and played a great football with high pressing, finding another outing for their forwards to score the equaliser, but that was totally denied by the football level of the Brazilian team, who simply held Adam’s squad’s nerve in the game. Vinicius Oliveira scored Brazil’s third goal to give his side a two-goal cushion and effectively seal the contest as Brazil got their win over the hosts.

Despite the loss in the game for the Indian National Football Team, the game somehow established the legacy and love of the game in the country, while Boris Singh Thangjam, Amarjit Singh, Lalengmawia and Suresh Singh later became prominent figures in developing the footballing ecosystem in India.

Lineups for the Brazil U17 vs India U17 match

Brazil U17 Starting XI

Leonardo Sulzbach (22), Miranda (3), Matheus Stockl (4), Wesley Gasolina (2), Weverson (6), Bobsin (5), Vitinho (8), Marcos Antônio (18), Vinicius Júnior (11), Léo Chú (7), Brenner (20)

India U17 Starting XI

Mohammad Nawaz (21), Mohamad Rakip (12), Jitendra Singh (3), Sanjeev Stalin (5), Boris Singh Thangjam (2), Suresh Singh Wangjam (6), Amarjit Singh Kiyam (8), Lalengmawia (13), Aniket Anil Jadhav (11), Komal Thatal (10), Aman Chetri (9)

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