Indian Football Team Rival Watch: Brazil
Brazil are ranked fifth in the FIFA world rankings.
Indian football, which was entering an exciting September–October international window with three friendlies against three World Cup-playing nations, are now done with one of them in Bengaluru and are off to Kolkata for the remaining two friendlies.
And to be fair to the Indian national team, the players and the coach have so far lived up to expectations, almost securing a win against Panama before settling for a 1-1 draw at the final whistle. From taking the lead to almost winning the game in the dying minutes, Khalid Jamil’s boys were full of belief and confidence that night in Bengaluru, playing under the lights at the Kanteerava in the cold Bengaluru weather.
While the result against Panama was a huge morale boost for the players and fans, given that they are ranked 44th and featured in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Blue Tigers are now set to brace themselves for an even tougher challenge against Brazil and Uruguay at the Salt Lake Stadium.
The first of the two friendlies is the toughest one, against fifth-ranked Brazil at the legendary Salt Lake Stadium on October 3, 2026, at 19:30 IST. This will be the first meeting between the two nations, as the Blue Tigers are set for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to test themselves against the five-time World Cup champions.
With the excitement continuing to build ahead of kick-off, let’s take a detailed look at Brazil, their recent form, players to watch out for and the man in charge from the touchlines.
Recent form
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Brazil, who were tipped to be one of the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup given the wealth of individual talent at their disposal, failed to click as a team and were unfortunately knocked out of the tournament in the Round of 32 by Norway, despite topping their group and producing a comeback victory against Japan in the Round of 16.
Following the heartbreak, the Selecao returned to action during this international window, playing two friendlies in Australia before making their trip to Kolkata to face India. While the Brazilians were stunned by a 1-1 draw in the opening game against the Socceroos, rescued by a stoppage-time Rayan equaliser, they won the second game with relative ease, defeating the hosts 4-2 despite having some defensive concerns in the first half.
Now, they have landed in India for two reasons, first, to extend their thanks and gratitude to the millions of Brazilian fans across the country, and second, to face the Blue Tigers in a historic, one-for-the-books international friendly.
Who is Brazil’s head coach?
The head coach of the Brazilian national team needs no introduction to football fans across generations. An extraordinary player during his playing days, Carlo Ancelotti was praised by the masses for his style of play and the number of titles he won.
And not much has changed since he stepped into management. In fact, he has gone on to achieve even greater things across multiple leagues in Europe before eventually trying his luck with an international team.
Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as the manager of the Brazilian national team in May 2025, with the Brazilian federation bringing in ‘Don Carlo’ in an attempt to boost their chances ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, given the pedigree the Italian manager possesses when it comes to delivering results in high-profile competitions.
Unfortunately, he was unable to take the five-time champions beyond the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite the disappointment, the management and the manager have agreed to continue working together, honouring the four-year contract they signed in May 2026.
Players to Watchout
Marquinhos
Marquinhos, the captain of the Brazilian national team, is currently the most experienced player in the squad, having made more than 110 appearances for Brazil. A PSG legend, Marquinhos is an excellent leader who has won almost everything there is to win in European football, along with the 2019 Copa América with the Brazilian national team.
Not the quickest defender, Marquinhos makes up for his lack of pace with exceptional positional awareness and a strong tactical understanding of the game developed through years of experience at the highest level.
He is technically gifted and extremely composed with the ball at his feet, and he is also aerially sound and physically strong, making him an effective presence when it comes to winning ground duels.
Bruno Guimares
Without Casemiro and Fabinho, Bruno Guimaraes has no choice but to lead the Brazilian midfield and assert his dominance in the middle of the park, dictating the tempo of his side. Having made 50 appearances for the Brazilian national team and impressed at Newcastle United, Guimaraes has established himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders, earning a move to Premier League champions Arsenal this summer.
Bruno is an energetic presence in the middle of the park who has the ability to play through opposition presses thanks to his excellent technical abilities, allowing him to retain possession even when subjected to intense pressure. His progressive ball carrying and vision to play line-breaking passes make him a threat in the final third, with the midfielder registering four assists in the recently concluded World Cup.
The Arsenal midfielder also got himself on the scoresheet in Brazil’s most recent friendly in Australia, scoring the third goal for his side in a 4-2 win.
Vinicius Junior
Vinicius, who has put himself in the conversation for the best left-winger in the world with his performances for both club and country, now has extra pressure on his shoulders to step up and score more goals after going through a rough scoring patch for Real Madrid at the start of the season. With Joao Pedro and Raphinha both injured, Vinicius will be the main focal point of the Brazilian attack against India.
The explosive left winger, who was unleashed to his maximum potential by Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, looks to be experiencing the same under the Italian with the Brazilian national team. In his last ten appearances for Brazil, Vinicius has registered nine goal contributions, including six goals and three assists.
His skills need no introduction, and it will take something extraordinary from Tekcham Abhishek Singh to contain the Brazilian winger, who excels in 1v1 situations, dribbles through tight spaces, wins fouls, scores incredible goals and makes intelligent runs inside the box to get on the scoresheet.
Is Raphinha available for Brazil against India?
Raphinha, who suffered an injury in the second friendly against Australia, has been ruled out of the India clash with a thigh injury.
What was the result in Brazil’s recent game?
Brazil registered a 4-2 win over Australia in their most recent international friendly.
When is the India vs Brazil clash scheduled?
India’s historic clash against Brazil is expected to take place on 3rd October 2026 at the Salt Lake Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 19:30 IST.
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