India-Brazil match a ‘circus’, spending crores makes no sense: Bhutia

Kolkata: Former India captain Baichung Bhutia has launched a scathing attack on the India-Brazil football friendly held at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, calling the high-profile match a “circus” and questioning the logic of spending crores on such an event.

Bhutia, who has opposed the fixture since it was announced on July 30, questioned whether the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was genuinely focused on developing Indian football over the long term or merely seeking to give players an opportunity to face Brazil. He had earlier urged fans to boycott the match.

According to Bhutia, the AIFF planned to spend Rs 50-60 crore to bring Brazil to India for a friendly despite financial difficulties affecting Indian football. He pointed out that the federation had faced a budget shortfall of Rs 14-16 crore in the previous cycle, while several I-League and Indian Super League clubs were struggling to survive amid a lack of sponsors.

He also criticised India’s decision to withdraw from the FIFA ASEAN Cup to accommodate the Brazil fixture. With India ranked 138th, Bhutia argued that matches against Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia would have offered a more meaningful competitive opportunity, including at least three games, rather than spending heavily on a friendly against sixth-ranked Brazil.

Bhutia cited Japan’s football development model, noting that the country drew on Brazilian players and coaches, such as Zico, to strengthen its own football system. He argued India should similarly build sustained cooperation with Brazilian football rather than focus on a single high-profile fixture.

He further blamed AIFF leadership for India’s decline in the FIFA rankings, saying the national team had fallen from the top 100 to around 140th and had struggled even in the Asian Cup.