So Brazil rolled into Kolkata and left with a 4-0 win. Standard, right? Not quite. Carlo Ancelotti actually had nice things to say about India afterward, and if you watched the game, you know he wasn't just being polite.
I watched the whole thing, and let me tell you: for about 20 minutes, India looked like they belonged on the same pitch as Brazil. Then the mistakes crept in. But that's football, and the final score doesn't tell the full story.
Ancelotti wasn't just being nice – India actually frustrated Brazil early on
Ancelotti said Brazil had "difficulty opening the score" and praised India's organization and counter-attacking. That's not typical press conference fluff. He specifically mentioned Estevao's goal as the moment things opened up. Before that, India held their shape, pressed in the right moments, and made Brazil work for every inch.
I've seen enough friendlies where the underdog just parks the bus and gets battered. This wasn't that. India actually tried to play. They had a couple of half-chances, and their midfield didn't just sit back and watch. For a team ranked outside the top 100, that's progress.
The goals were gifts – but that's not the whole story
Let's be real: two of Brazil's goals came directly from goalkeeping errors. Another was a defensive lapse from a player who barely played club football last season. And the fourth? That was against India's B team after all 11 starters had been subbed off, and it came after the allotted added time had expired. So yeah, the scoreline is a bit flattering.
But here's the thing: Brazil didn't look like they were in second gear. They were passing the ball around with purpose, and India's mistakes were forced by pressure, not just random blunders. The gap in quality is still massive, but India didn't roll over.
Comparing India to San Marino is lazy – but the gap is still real
One comment I saw pointed out that England and Spain routinely thrash San Marino even when they're not trying. True. But India doesn't have the structure of Andorra or San Marino, and they're not a microstate with a population smaller than a mid-sized city. India is a cricket-mad country of 1.4 billion people. The potential is there, but the infrastructure isn't.
That's why Ancelotti's respect matters. He's not comparing India to San Marino; he's acknowledging that they made Brazil's job harder than expected. That's a win in itself.
What's next? Top 100, then top 75, then who knows
The realistic goal for India should be to break into the top 100, then push for top 75. It's not glamorous, but it's achievable. The team showed they can compete for stretches against elite opposition. The key is consistency and better club environments for the players.
One positive: our right-back actually pocketed Vinicius Jr. for parts of the game. I'm not kidding. Vini got past him a couple of times, but overall, he held his own. That's the kind of individual performance that gives you hope.
Also, credit to the fans in Kolkata. The atmosphere looked electric, and the players seemed to feed off it. If India can play with that intensity in actual competitive matches, we might be onto something.
