Ancelotti says India match ‘never just a friendly game’
Brazil legend Pele visited India thrice, in 1977, 2015 and 2018. The first occasion was to Kolkata, when he turned up for the New York Cosmos in an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan at the Eden Gardens. That was the penultimate match of his professional career. His second visit to the country in 2015 was as a guest of honour to watch a couple of matches in Kolkata and New Delhi, while his…
Brazil legend Pele visited India three times, most recently in 2018 to attend a leadership summit in New Delhi. The country holds a passionate football following, despite cricket's overwhelming popularity. Carlo Ancelotti, a decorated manager, will lead a full-strength Brazilian team to play a friendly against India in Kolkata on October 3.
The veteran Italian insists that Brazil will approach the match with full seriousness, emphasizing that there is "never a friendly game" for them. Brazil, currently ranked fifth in the world, will feature stars like Vinicius Junior in their first senior international match in India, a country where football enjoys immense popularity.
Ancelotti sees the fixture as an opportunity for Brazil to experience a new football culture and for India to observe world-class play.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
