Marquinhos praises India’s passion for Brazil ahead of historic Kolkata clash
Kolkata, October 2: For years, Brazil have been a team Indians watched from a distance. Jerseys, flags, World Cup nights, names passed from one generation to another — the connection has always been there. On Saturday, that distance disappears.
Brazil will walk out at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan to face India, the much awaited friendly clash, and ahead of the historic meeting, their captain Marquinhos spoke about something that goes beyond the 90 minutes.
For the Paris Saint-Germain defender, India is not just another stop on Brazil’s schedule. He is aware of what the Brazilian national team means to football fans here, and the reception since their arrival in Kolkata has made that clear.
“It’s a golden opportunity to be here representing the Brazilian National Team for this country, for these people who are passionate about football, about the Brazilian National Team, and about all the history it has,” Marquinhos said.
That appreciation from India has not gone unnoticed inside the Brazil camp.
Marquinhos pointed out that India is one of the countries with the biggest support for Brazil outside their home country. For a team carrying such a long history in world football, that support has become part of the experience of coming to Kolkata.
And the Brazil captain wants his team to take that feeling onto the pitch. Rather than separating the excitement around their arrival from the match itself, Marquinhos wants Brazil to use it. The welcome, the affection and even the packed press room were all mentioned as things that can give the players extra motivation before facing India.
For India, that creates another layer to an already historic night. This is the first senior international meeting between the two countries. India know the scale of the challenge, but they also have an opportunity that very few teams get, to test themselves against some of the biggest names in world football on their own ground.
Marquinhos, meanwhile, made it clear that Brazil have done their homework.
The Indian team has been analysed ahead of the game, with the Brazil camp looking at what they can exploit and how they can limit India’s strengths. He specifically mentioned Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who is set to make his 90th appearance for India, calling the milestone extremely impressive.
There was no advice from the Brazilian captain for India’s players either. His view was simple: they already know what they have fought for to reach this stage. For Marquinhos, football remains a shared dream, something that begins in childhood and continues even after reaching the highest level of the game.
That perhaps explains why he does not want Brazil to treat this as just a friendly.
“Every game is a very important game,” he said, stressing that wearing the Brazil shirt comes with responsibility regardless of the opposition.
Brazil are also using this period to begin another chapter. After the 2026 World Cup, the team is looking towards a new cycle, with a mixture of experienced players and younger faces. Marquinhos admitted that the immediate target is to rebuild confidence, play well and start winning again.
India, therefore, arrive at an interesting point in that process. For the Blue Tigers, this is not about being part of Brazil’s long-term plans. It is about making the most of a rare opportunity in front of their home crowd.
For Brazil, it is another step towards what comes next.
And somewhere between those two perspectives sits the real significance of Saturday night. India get to measure themselves against Brazil. Brazil get to experience a football culture that has followed them for generations.
Marquinhos understands that connection. Now, both teams have to take it onto the pitch.
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