When did Vinicius Junior last play in India?
Vinicius will be playing for Brazil against the Indian football team in Kolkata.
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) Stadium in Kolkata is gearing up to host the match between the Indian football team and the Brazilian football team on 3rd October 2026. The five-time FIFA World Cup winners will be playing on Indian soil for the first time in what is set to be an historic day.
Khalid Jamil recently announced the 26-man Indian squad earlier this month and now the Brazilian team have confirmed the players that will be accompanying Carlo Ancelotti to play the friendly against India.
Vinicius Junior will arguably be the biggest name representing the Selecao in Kolkata. The Real Madrid star was Brazil’s standout performer in the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2026, having scored four goals for his nation.
However, this will not be the first time that the 26-year-old will be playing in India. Vinicius was part of the Brazilian squad that played the BRICS U-17 Football Cup that happened in Goa back in 2016.
How did Vinicius perform in the 2016 BRICS U-17 Football Cup?
Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa sent their U-17 sides to Goa for the BRICS U-17 Football Cup in 2016. The five-team tournament that was hosted by India saw the South American nation being crowned as the champions.
The Canarinhos were dominant as they beat all their opponents in round-robin matches and conceded just one goal. Brazil qualified to the final directly owing to their strong showing as South Africa finished second while Russia, China, and India finished third, fourth, and fifth respectively in the tournament.
The final of the tournament saw Brazil beat South Africa 5-1 to win their second BRICS U-17 Football Cup title. Vinicius Junior was one of the stand-out performers for his nation and ended up being the top scorer of the tournament with four goals including one in the final.
Vinicius was not allowed to play in the U-17 FIFA World Cup 2017 that was hosted by India!
By 2017, Vinicius was already making a name in the Brazilian football circuit for his club – Flamengo. Hence, it was no surprise that he was selected in the Brazil U-17 squad for the U-17 FIFA World Cup that was hosted by India in 2017.
The soon-to-be superstar had finished as the top scorer in the South American U-17 Championship 2017 and played a huge part in helping Brazil qualify for the U-17 FIFA World Cup 2017. However, Flamengo refused to let Vinicius play in the tournament.
As per reports, there was an agreement between Flamengo and the Brazilian Football Confederation that Vinicius would be allowed to play in the U-17 World Cup if the club won the Copa do Brasil.
Since they lost the final, Vinicius was refused the release, and the Brazil U-17 coach eventually picked a replacement.
Has Vinicius Junior previously played in India?
Yes, Vinicius Junior featured in India in the BRICS U-17 Football Cup that happened in Goa back in 2016.
When will Brazil play India?
Brazil will play India on October 3rd at the VYBK Stadium, Kolkata.
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.