Brazil training in Kolkata draws World Cup-like buzz ahead of India clash

Vinicius Junior and Gabriel walked onto the pitch together to loud cheers, setting the tone for a Brazil training session that felt less like the eve of a friendly and more like a 'World Cup occasion' at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium here on Friday.

More than 300 journalists and photographers, including foreign media, gathered to watch the opening 15 minutes of Brazil's training in an unprecedented media turnout.

Media personnel had travelled from across the country, while around a dozen Brazilian journalists were also present to capture the five-time world champions' preparations for Saturday's clash against India.

The Selecao put in a full one-hour training session less than 24 hours after landing in Kolkata on a private jet from Brisbane, where they had played two friendlies.

The players kept the mood light, going through one-touch passing, ball-winning drills and short running exercises before moving into their routine warm-ups under the watch of the support staff. There was little sign of tension as they did it in a circle seemingly unfazed by the huge presence of media.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti was seen sitting on the sidelines during the media-access period, which allowed journalists and photographers to watch and capture the proceedings.

The more tactical aspect, including formation drills, was expected to follow after the first 15 minutes, as the media were told to "please empty the stadium now".

For the visiting Brazilian media, the occasion was much more about the atmosphere than the football.

A journalist from Rio de Janeiro, visiting Kolkata for the first time, said the occasion felt more like a "celebration than a contest".

"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 told PTI, clearly taken aback by the sheer size and grandeur of the stadium which boasted a capacity of more than 120,000 not many years back.

"There is a huge gulf in quality between the two teams, so we are not seeing this just as a match but as a celebration of the two teams, cultural exchange and many other things. We hope there are many more such occasions to come.

"At the same time, we expect India to put up a tough challenge, and I am sure Ancelotti's side will not write off India."

The excitement continued even after the media were ushered out of the ground.

Some journalists and photographers waited anxiously outside the main gate where the two team buses were parked, shouting "Brazil" and calling out the players' names as the team made its way out.

Several players reciprocated the cheers, acknowledging the waiting media before boarding two team buses painted in Brazil's familiar colours.

Ancelotti's boys are beginning a new cycle with an eye on the 2028 Copa America, seeking to move forward after the disappointment of their World Cup exit following a defeat to Norway in the round of 16.

Ancelotti has reshaped the defensive set-up while retaining much of the attacking core, as Brazil look to build a side capable of challenging for major honours in the coming years.

Their first assignments in the new cycle came during the recent tour of Australia, where they drew 1-1 in the opening match before bouncing back with a 4-2 win in the second.

Saturday's match against India will offer another opportunity for Ancelotti to assess his squad as Brazil continue to fine-tune their combinations and build momentum towards their next major international targets.

Accreditation chaos off pitch

Utter chaos descended a few minutes later -- not on the pitch, but off it -- when it became known that the media accreditation cards were yet to arrive.

According to a communication from the media department of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), media personnel were to be handed their accreditation cards immediately after the training at the press conference room.

However, when around 300 media personnel arrived there, they were surprised to learn that the accreditation cards had not yet arrived.

There was no clarity on when they would be made available either, triggering visible commotion, with some members of the local media seen arguing with the organising committee.

The committee said it hoped to receive the cards by 9.30pm, but could not confirm the timing. It also said that any further update would be communicated by e-mail.

However, until the time of writing, with less than 24 hours remaining for the match, no such communication had been received, leaving media personnel, including those travelling from outside the city and overseas, uncertain whether they would have to collect their accreditation cards just hours before the scheduled 7.30pm kick-off.

"The accreditation process began late as we didn't get any communication about the seats that were to be allowed and the overflow areas. There was little time left before the match for the cards to be printed. We had received many applications and many had to be rejected too. It has been an overall mismanagement from everyone," a source pointed out.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed)