Rankings don’t matter, says Brazil legend Cafu ahead of IND vs BRA friendly | Football News

The Indian football team are set to take on Brazil in a much-anticipated international friendly on October 3 in Kolkata, with the five-time world champions set to make their first appearance against India at senior international level. Ahead of the much-anticipated clash, Brazil’s former World Cup-winning captain Cafu offered his perspective on the contest, saying that modern football has made it possible for teams of different levels to compete on more equal terms despite a significant gap in the FIFA rankings.

Brazil are currently ranked fifth in the world, while India sit much lower (138th position), making the Kolkata fixture the highest-ranked opposition the Indian team have faced since the FIFA World Rankings were introduced in 1992. Cafu, however, believes rankings cannot fully determine what happens on the pitch, pointing to the performances of smaller nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as evidence of how international football has changed.

Cafu backs India to benefit from Brazil test

Cafu believes the fixture can provide Indian football with more than just the occasion of hosting one of the most decorated national teams in the sport.

The former Brazil captain said India can learn considerably from facing a side with five World Cup titles, while recognising that there remains a sizeable difference between the two countries in the FIFA rankings. His assessment was that the modern game has become more competitive, meaning teams cannot simply be judged by their position on the rankings table.

That was the context behind his view that India can approach the game as a valuable learning experience rather than being overwhelmed by Brazil’s pedigree.

World Cup examples show changing football landscape

Cafu’s argument about the narrowing gap in international football was based partly on what he saw at the 2026 World Cup.

He highlighted Curacao and Cape Verde as examples of nations that were able to compete with much higher-ranked opponents during the tournament. While neither country belongs to international football’s traditional elite, their performances showed that smaller nations can now enter major competitions with greater belief and competitiveness.

Cape Verde, in particular, made it through to the round of 32 before narrowly losing 3-2 to Argentina, while Curacao competed at the tournament despite being one of the less established teams on the global stage.

For Cafu, such performances demonstrate why India’s ranking should not automatically define its prospects against Brazil. He believes the growth of international football has created more opportunities for developing nations to test themselves against the best.

Cafu sees opportunity in proposed World Cup expansion

The Brazilian also believes India could benefit if FIFA goes ahead with its proposal to expand the World Cup from 48 teams in 2026 to 64 from the 2030 edition. FIFA has yet to take a final decision on the proposal.

Cafu sees a wider tournament as an opportunity for countries outside the traditional World Cup group to establish stronger connections with leading football nations.

For India, however, greater access to the World Cup would need to be accompanied by development at home. Cafu’s comments pointed towards the importance of creating a broader football culture rather than relying solely on an expanded tournament to improve the country’s international prospects.

Grassroots development key to India’s progress

Cafu believes India’s long-term progress will depend heavily on getting more children involved in football. He called for the sport to be popularised further, with greater encouragement for youngsters to play and more attention paid to successful footballing systems around the world.

The former Brazil full-back pointed to Japan, South Korea and China as examples of Asian nations that invested in football by bringing in Brazilian coaches and players and using that exposure to help develop the sport domestically.

His broader message was that India already has the potential to grow as a footballing nation but needs to build that development from the grassroots level.

Brazil’s World Cup drought and identity concern Cafu

Cafu also turned his attention to the current state of the Brazilian national team, which has not won the World Cup since its 2002 triumph.

The former captain acknowledged that the Brazil team of his era cannot be directly compared with the current generation. During his playing career, Brazil reached three consecutive World Cup finals, winning the tournament in 1994 and 2002.

He nevertheless remains hopeful that Brazil can end its long wait for another World Cup title in the next cycle.

One concern he raised was the increasing tendency for young Brazilian players to move to European clubs at an early age. Cafu believes this can make it harder for them to develop a strong connection with the national team and with Brazilian football culture.

He described that connection as a sense of ‘brasilidade’ an identity and understanding of what it means to represent Brazil.

World Cup success is unpredictable

Cafu also rejected the idea that World Cup success can be reduced to rankings or simply having the strongest squad.

He believes winning the tournament depends on a combination of factors, meaning the team considered the best on paper is not necessarily guaranteed to become champion.

That view is consistent with his assessment of India’s upcoming meeting with Brazil. While he accepts the obvious difference in ranking and pedigree, he believes modern football has created more opportunities for teams to challenge expectations.

For Brazil, the immediate priority remains rebuilding a side capable of challenging for another World Cup title after a prolonged drought.

India set for historic clash vs Brazil

India are set to take on Brazil on October 3 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata as part of a three-match international friendly series. The fixtures will begin with India facing Panama on September 26 in Bengaluru, before the team meets Brazil and then Uruguay on October 6, both in Kolkata.

The Brazil fixture will be historic as it will be the first senior men’s international meeting between India and Brazil. The two countries have previously crossed paths in football, but those encounters involved Brazil XI sides rather than the senior national team.

Brazil, five-time World Cup champions, will therefore provide an unprecedented test for Khalid Jamil’s side. The match will also give Indian players the opportunity to compete against a team ranked among the world’s best and experience the demands of facing one of international football’s most decorated sides.