'India Can Learn From Five-Time World Champions': Former Brazil Captain Cafu Ahead Of Historic Kolkata Friendly | Watch

Former Brazil captain Cafu has said that India's national football team will gain invaluable experience from its upcoming friendly match against the five-time World Cup champions Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. While acknowledging the significant gap in rankings between the two nations, Cafu expressed optimism that the game will bring benefits to India and its national team, which will face a team that has won the World Cup five times.

Cafu highlighted the modernization of football, pointing out that smaller nations like Curacao and Cape Verde have been able to compete on equal terms with bigger teams in recent World Cups. He also noted that FIFA's plan to expand the number of participating teams to 64 from 2030 onwards could present more opportunities for India in the future.

The 56-year-old Brazilian, now a coach, stressed the importance of popularising football in India and encouraging children to play the sport. He cited examples of nations like Japan, South Korea, and China, which achieved growth in football by adopting Brazilian coaches and players, and encouraged India to learn from their experiences.

Cafu also expressed hope for an end to Brazil's 28-year World Cup title drought, predicting that the team could potentially win the 2028 World Cup and end the long wait. He pointed out that the lack of young Brazilian players staying and developing in Brazil is a major factor contributing to the title drought. Cafu criticized the current trend of young Brazilian players leaving early for European clubs, which prevents them from developing a strong connection with the Brazilian national team and its people.