Brazil in Kolkata: Ancelotti Says No Friendly Is a Friendly
Brazil’s national football team is in Kolkata, India, for a friendly against India, and the pre-match talk has centred less on the result than on what the game means for a squad rebuilding after a disappointing World Cup. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti told a packed press conference that the fixture is not a test for the young players he has called up, but an opportunity to show what they can do.
“For them it is not an exam, it is a chance to demonstrate their ability,” Ancelotti said. “They should face it calmly, because it is not a judgement on them.” The Italian coach, who has won league titles in several European countries, is using these matches to look at new faces and to shape a team that blends experience with youth.
Ancelotti was asked which quality he least wants Brazil to lose. He pointed to joy. “Commitment matters, quality matters, but so does the happiness of playing football. It is a very important part of Brazilian culture. I want the players to enjoy every match they play.” He added that talent alone is no longer enough to win a World Cup, and that modern teams need organisation and collective work as much as individual flair.
Captain Marquinhos struck a similar note. The Paris Saint-Germain defender, who has played at three World Cups, said he approaches every appearance for Brazil as if it were his first and his last. “I have been with the national team for many years, and I treat each game the same way,” he said, thanking Indian fans for the welcome the squad received on arrival in Kolkata.
Marquinhos described the team’s immediate goal as rebuilding confidence and producing convincing wins. That framing reflects a broader reset: after a World Cup that ended earlier than Brazilians expected, the new cycle is about restoring belief as much as collecting trophies. For a squad with several uncapped or lightly capped players, a match in front of a passionate Indian crowd is a rare chance to audition on the international stage.
The choice of Kolkata as a venue also points to football’s widening map. India has long been a cricket-first country, but its football audience is growing, and hosting a five-time World Cup winner is a milestone for the local game. Brazilian players spoke warmly of the reception, and organisers expect a lively atmosphere at the stadium.
For Ancelotti, the match is one more step in a longer project. He has spoken about giving opportunities to younger players while keeping the group competitive, and about building a style that is both Brazilian and disciplined. The friendly against India, and the team’s subsequent fixtures, will be judged less on the scoreline than on whether new names seize their chance.
Brazil’s supporters, meanwhile, will be watching for signs of the joy Ancelotti keeps mentioning. In a country where football is often described as a national language, a friendly in India is still a chance to speak it fluently.