TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: People from different walks of life made their way to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata for the historic India versus Brazil friendly. Even though the iconic venue wasn’t filled to its 65,000 capacity, many were still keen on making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A family of six from Chennai. A Brazilian living in Delhi. A family with two young boys from Delhi. Another family had travelled from Bhopal with their two daughters.Kohana had her husband and four boys for company. They went through India and Brazil jerseys on the street adjacent to the venue. The father went through them one by one while the four boys tested the size by placing the jerseys against themselves.“We live in Chennai but we’re from Japan. We bought tickets last week and have travelled just for this match. I’m supporting both teams today but the boys are big fans of the Brazilian team,” said Kohana, who hails from Osaka, with a smile.“We wanted to stay for the Uruguay game also but because they have school next week, we’ll do just the Brazil match,” she said, referring to the next FIFA friendly on October 6.
Kohana, her husband and four boys travelled from Chennai to Kolkata for the India vs Brazil game. (Image: Tanuj Lakhina/TimesofIndia.com)
Forty-six-year-old Felipe, who comes from Porto Alegre, the birthplace of Ronaldinho, has taken the trip from New Delhi. He works in the tourism sector in the capital with the aim of bringing more Brazilians, like himself, to travel to India.The moment he heard about the match, he didn’t hesitate to buy a ticket online. Mere hours after arriving in Kolkata, he was overwhelmed by the city’s food offerings.“I never thought Brazil would come here. When I saw the Brazilian team was coming to India, I decided that no matter what, no matter how, I have to be there. I have to see this match,” he said, revealing that he had spent around €150 on the ticket (Rs 16,000).
Felipe, who is a Brazilian national, currently lives in Delhi. (Image: Tanuj Lakhina/TimesofIndia.com)
“I like the city. I like the food, it is very good. I went to the Victoria Memorial, it’s beautiful. I went to the New Market, a lot of things to see and buy,” he continued.Adeeba and Aneefa Warsi donned the yellow and green of Brazil as they readied themselves outside the Salt Lake Stadium. Adeeba sported some bling to go with the outfit and had the colours of India and Brazil painted on both cheeks. The two sisters from Bhopal were joined by their parents for this big contest.For Aneefa, this wasn’t just about watching India or Brazil play. It was also a chance for her, a footballer herself, to learn some things from the professionals.
Sisters Adeeba and Aneefa Warsi live in Bhopal. They made the India vs Brazil friendly into a football-tourism activity alongside their parents. (Image: Tanuj Lakhina/TimesofIndia.com)
“I hope to get inspired by the players and learn some new stuff. This is my first time watching a match, so I want to get better also,” she said.Her elder sister chimed in by saying, “For me, this is an outing as well. I watch football also, so this is an experience for me also. So I want to see the scope of football in the country and take up the sport myself in the future,” said the first-year college student.For the past month, since the tickets were bought, the duo spent sleepless nights. The preparations had begun well in advance. Even a night ago, as they arrived in the city, the match remained the topic of conversation.“When to buy the jersey, where to buy it from? What kind of makeup to do? What look to show? What to wear? Everything was considered in the past month,” explained Adeeba.