Baichung Bhutia calls for boycott of Brazil's India friendly

Former India football captain Baichung Bhutia has urged fans to boycott India's proposed friendly against five-time world champions Brazil, arguing that the money being spent on the high-profile match would be better invested in developing the country's football infrastructure.

India are scheduled to face Brazil at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium on October 3. Reports suggest the exhibition match could cost around Rs 60-70 crore to organise.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Bhutia said staging the match would provide only short-term excitement while doing little to address the long-standing structural problems in Indian football.

"Boycott the Brazil match," Bhutia said, arguing that a strong public response could force organisers and football authorities to reconsider how they spend money.

He suggested investing the funds in grassroots development, player training and sports infrastructure instead. Among his proposals were building 100 futsal grounds across different areas and directing government funding towards athletes capable of winning medals at major international competitions.

Bhutia also urged the West Bengal government not to spend public money on the match if it is involved in financing or raising funds for the event. He said the money could instead be used to strengthen the state’s sporting ecosystem and help athletes compete successfully at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

Acknowledging the excitement a Brazil appearance would generate, Bhutia warned that the impact would be temporary.

"Everyone will be excited, spectators will come and the media will be there," he said, while arguing that once the match is over, the money would be gone while Indian football’s structural development would remain far behind.