Brazil football head coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that India does not have a football culture. The former Real Madrid manager did not mince words in his analysis of the Indian football scene, stating that it is yet to build a grassroots programme that allows them to build a pool of young players.
Speaking ahead of India’s friendly with Brazil, set to be played in Kolkata on October 3, Ancelotti said that he is excited to visit Kolkata. The Indian team are set to play three international friendlies against top quality teams, starting September 25. India will play Panama, Brazil, and Uruguay, with the last two matches set to be playing in the Bengal capital.
Speaking from Brisbane, Ancelotti said that it was important for Brazil to know about other footballing cultures. He added that India do not have much experience in playing world class opponents and that it would be a good opportunity for both teams to see each other.
“We have to see other nations, other cultures. We are used to playing friendlies with different styles. India will be exciting. It’s true that India does not have a good experience (of playing world class opponents), but it’s important for us to know how they play. I’ve never been to India. I am very excited to come to Kolkata,” Ancelotti told Times of India in an interview.
“I think it’s a problem of culture. India does not have a culture of football, but they are good in other sports. You have to work on this to build a new generation of players,” he added.
WHY DO INDIA STRUGGLE IN FOOTBALL?
India’s struggles in international football have become increasingly difficult to ignore. The national team was knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race in June 2024 after a 2-1 defeat to Qatar ended their hopes of reaching the third round.
They then suffered another setback in the following Asian Cup qualification cycle, failing to make the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after finishing Group C with five points from six matches. Their only win came in their final game, a 2-1 victory over Hong Kong, while Singapore secured the group’s sole qualifying spot.
India’s standing in the world has also slipped. The latest official FIFA ranking, published on July 20, 2026, has India 138th, well below their highest-ever position of 94th.
The uncertainty is not limited to the national team. The Indian Super League has been dealing with significant instability since the AIFF’s commercial partnership with Reliance ended in 2025. The league has yet to finalise its fixtures and broadcaster for the new season, while Jamshedpur FC’s exit underlined the difficulties facing clubs amid the uncertainty.
There are also concerns about the country’s player-development pipeline. Reuters reported that young Indian players receive far fewer competitive matches than their counterparts in countries such as Japan and South Korea, while several states lack proper youth leagues and qualified coaches.
For a country that continues to produce pockets of strong footballing interest, the challenge is turning that interest into a sustainable football culture and a system capable of producing players consistently. The gap between India’s ambitions and its current standing has rarely looked more apparent.
– Ends
