Brazil Training in Kolkata Builds Buzz Before India Clash

Brazil’s training session in Kolkata drew a World Cup-like level of attention on Friday, with more than 300 journalists and photographers gathering at Salt Lake Stadium ahead of Saturday’s match against India. Vinicius Junior and Gabriel received loud cheers when they walked onto the pitch together, setting the tone for a high-profile media-access session less than 24 hours after the visitors arrived in the city.

The five-time world champions completed a one-hour session after flying in on a private jet from Brisbane, where they had played two friendlies. Media personnel from across India attended the opening 15 minutes, alongside around a dozen journalists from Brazil, underlining the scale of interest around the team’s visit and the upcoming fixture.

Brazil begin Kolkata preparations

Brazil’s players kept the early part of the session relaxed, working through one-touch passing, ball-winning drills and short running exercises before routine warm-ups with the support staff. The group trained in a circle and appeared unfazed by the large media presence around the pitch.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti sat on the sidelines during the period open to journalists and photographers. The more tactical work, including formation drills, was due to take place after the media-access window ended, with those in attendance told to leave the stadium after the first 15 minutes.

The session was Brazil’s first visible preparation in Kolkata for the India match, scheduled for a 7.30pm kick-off on Saturday. It also formed part of the team’s early work in a new cycle, with Brazil looking ahead to the 2028 Copa America after their World Cup exit following a round-of-16 defeat to Norway.

Ancelotti has reshaped Brazil’s defensive set-up while retaining much of the side’s attacking core as the team seeks to build towards future major international targets. Their recent Australia tour produced a 1-1 draw in the first friendly and a 4-2 victory in the second, and the India fixture provides another opportunity to assess the squad and continue building combinations.

For the visiting Brazilian journalists, however, the immediate focus in Kolkata was not only the football. One journalist from Rio de Janeiro, in the city for the first time, described the occasion as more of a celebration than a contest and said he was struck by the stadium and the passion surrounding the visit.

“We are here for the first time in Kolkata and the stadium is really impressive. We are overwhelmed to see the passion for the game,” he said. He added that, despite what he called a significant gap in quality between the teams, the occasion represented a cultural exchange and hoped there would be more such opportunities in future.

Attention turns to Saturday, accreditation uncertainty remains

The excitement continued after the training session as journalists and photographers waited outside the main gate near the team buses, calling out “Brazil” and players’ names. Several members of the squad acknowledged those waiting before boarding two buses painted in Brazil’s familiar colours.

But the day also ended with uncertainty for many media personnel. According to a communication from the All India Football Federation media department, accreditation cards were supposed to be distributed after training at the press conference room. When around 300 people arrived, they were told the cards had not yet arrived.

The delay led to visible commotion, with some local media members arguing with the organising committee. The committee said it hoped to receive the cards by 9.30pm but could not confirm the timing, and said further information would be sent by email. With less than 24 hours before kick-off, media travelling from outside Kolkata and overseas were left uncertain about whether they would need to collect accreditation shortly before the match.

On the field, Brazil’s session delivered the first major visual marker of their Kolkata visit. The attention around it ensured that Saturday’s meeting with India was already being treated as an occasion of considerable significance.