Brazil team lands in Kolkata ahead of FIFA friendly with India

The Brazil football team arrived at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Thursday, touching down in a chartered flight ahead of a FIFA international friendly against India scheduled for Saturday at Salt Lake Stadium.

For a city with a deep-rooted affection for football, the Selecao's arrival drew large numbers of supporters; millions of football aficionados in Bengal finally had the opportunity to welcome the visiting side.

The report noted that Brazil’s trademark style, described as 'Jogo Bonito', has long resonated with football fans in Bengal and across India, and the team's presence in Kolkata brought an added emotional element to the fixture.

The biggest attraction among the visitors was Vinicius Junior, identified in the coverage as the Real Madrid forward and one of the leading stars of the modern game, renowned for his pace and dribbling ability.

The article recalled that Vinicius missed visiting India when he was ruled out of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India; Flamengo held him back after their Copa do Brasil final defeat despite the then 17-year-old having already secured a €45 million move to Real Madrid.

The piece described the trip as a full-circle moment for Vinicius, who has finally arrived in India and again stands out as the main attraction as Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil prepares to face the Blue Tigers; with Raphinha withdrawing due to injury, the report said the Vinicius factor is expected to heighten excitement and galvanise support in Kolkata.

Brazil will face the Indian men’s national team at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday in the scheduled FIFA international friendly.