India vs Brazil: Will Vini Jr play? What to expect from the Seleção in Kolkata

KOLKATA: The arrival of the Brazil national team in Kolkata on October 1 was a momentous occasion for Indian football and the excitement was evident among fans. However, the big arrival seems to have been delayed slightly by Brazil’s packed schedule.

The team touched down at 8:38pm, and reached their hotel by 9:34pm, with less than 48 hours to go for the match against India on October 3. Contrast this with the Uruguay team, which reached Kolkata on September 30 ahead of their match against The Blue Tigers on October 6.

While India have been training in Kolkata since the start of the week, Brazil will have their only training session at the Salt Lake Stadium (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan) at 4pm on October 2, a day before the two sides meet.

The match against India is the third and final game of the international window for the five-time World Cup winners. Carlo Ancelotti’s side played Australia in Townsville on September 25 and again in Brisbane on September 29, drawing the first game 1-1 and winning the second 4-2. They also had a final training session in Brisbane on September 30 before travelling to India.

Ancelotti has already indicated that there will be changes against India. Pedro Morisco, the 22-year-old Coritiba goalkeeper, is set to become the third goalkeeper to be used by the coach in the three matches. Hugo Souza, 27, started in Townsville and 20-year-old Otávio made his debut in Brisbane.

The goalkeeper changes are part of a larger experiment. Ancelotti’s first Brazil squad after the 2026 World Cup included 10 players yet to make their senior international debuts: Morisco and Otávio; centre-backs Arthur Dias, 19, Vitor Reis, 20, and Jair, 21; full-backs Matheuzinho, 26, and Mauro Júnior, 27, and midfielders Breno Bidon, 21, Gabriel Bontempo, 21, and Matheus Martinelli, 24, (who replaced the injured João Pedro). Nine of them made their debuts in the two matches against Australia and impressed for the most part.

Jair, Dias and Bidon were members of Brazil’s South American Under-20 championship-winning side in 2025, alongside Rayan, 20, who played in the World Cup.

It is a group that combines players at very different stages of their international careers. Particularly notable is the inclusion of three full-backs in their mid-to-late 20s, with Vanderson, 25, who made his debut in 2023 but had only seven caps before adding an eighth in Australia, joining Matheuzinho and Júnior. It is a clear sign that Ancelotti is attempting to find solutions at full-back—a position in which Brazil were found wanting during the World Cup.

Among the senior players, Raphinha, who played both Australia matches and scored from the penalty spot in Brisbane, has been ruled out ahead of the India match after suffering an injury. And, there is also some doubt about the degree of Vinícius Júnior’s involvement.

The Real Madrid forward played in the 4-2 victory over Australia, contributing to Brazil’s third goal before scoring the fourth from the penalty spot. Ancelotti, who coached him at Real Madrid, is well aware of the need to manage his superstar’s load. Real Madrid's next fixture is against Villarreal on October 10. The club is reportedly planning to charter a flight to get Vini and striker Endrick back as soon as possible so that the duo can recover in Madrid.

Vini, who was not spotted in the airport pictures from Kolkata, was later seen at the hotel. In the final training session in Brisbane, Vini was among the players seen doing separate ball work. It might have been an energy-conserving move, though there could have been more work which the cameras simply missed.

For now, fans have to hope that Ancelotti will give Vini at least some game time at the Salt Lake—it would be a rare chance for an Indian audience to see one of the world’s best live in action.