In an exclusive report, Sportstar has confirmed that the 2002 World Cup-winning Brazil squad studded with stars such as Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Rivaldo will play an exhibition match against India Legends on March 30, 2025, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
#Chennai is set to get a taste of Samba flavour as it prepares to host an exhibition match between Brazil Legends and Indian Legends at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on March 3⃣0⃣, ✍️ @DeyAneesh
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) December 27, 2024
READ ➡️ https://t.co/64blcwSNG9 | #football ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/j0HmwwDwfJ
The exhibition match will be an integral part of the 'Football Plus Summit' which will be organized by the Football Plus academy in Chennai, run by David Anand. The two-day event will commence on March 31 and conclude on April 1, 2025.
Historic moment for Indian Football
David Anand, the founder of the Football Plus Academy in Chennai, announced a collaboration with Brazil Sports Academy on Friday.
According to the report, The Brazilian world champions will connect with the Indian football community through some panel discussions and workshops during the summit. By focusing on grassroots development, they will aim to foster a profound bond between India and global football networks.
Indian football legends, Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri have reportedly been approached to play for the India Legends team in this exhibition match.
David Anand, the man behind this inspiring summit, spoke about various aspects of this historic match that is set to take place in 2025.
We are trying to get Kaka and Ronaldinho to play in the exhibition match against the Indian legends as well. Since it is Christmas week, we are yet to hear from them, but it is almost confirmed. For the Indian team, we have appointed a scout who will choose the final side.
the aim of calling the Brazilian legends is not just to make them participate in a legends match but to take their help in bridging the gaps between grassroots football and global recognition along with improving the football ecosystem in Chennai,
Why Chennai? I grew up playing football in the slums of Chennai. I remember playing football in Royapettah and Gopalapuram in my childhood days, so I wanted to do something here. Chennai has always had a rich sporting heritage.
We also have a meeting with the Deputy CM and the Tamil Nadu CM in the coming days, where we will ask for their support. We want the Government to support us not only for monetary reasons but also to improve the football ecosystem in Chennai,
Ricardo Xiemenes, the representative of Brazil Sports Academy who was present during the press conference, said the following:
India has immense potential, and we are thrilled to be part of this transformative journey
Brazil and India share a deep love for football, and this collaboration marks a unique opportunity to inspire and mentor aspiring talent,
(Exclusive by Sportstar)