India has no football culture: Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti 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 when he said that he is yet to build a core program that will allow them to build a group of young players.

Ahead of India’s friendly against Brazil to be played in Kolkata on October 3, Ancelotti said he is excited to visit Kolkata. The Indian team will play three international friendlies against top teams on September 25. India will take on Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, with the final two matches being played in the Bengal capital.

In an interview from Brisbane, Ancelotti said it was important for Brazil to know about other football cultures. He added that India does not have much experience of playing world-class opponents and 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 in different styles. India will be exciting. It is true that India do not have good experience (of playing world-class opponents), but it is important that we know how they play. I have never been to India. I am very excited to come to Kolkata,” Ancelotti said in an interview with the Tech Word News.

“I think it’s a culture issue. India doesn’t have a football culture, but they are good in other sports. You have to work on that to build a new generation of players,” he added.

WHY IS INDIA STRUGGLING IN SOCCER?

India’s struggles in international football are getting harder to ignore. The national team crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June 2024 after a 2–1 defeat to Qatar ended their hopes of advancing to the third round.

They then suffered another setback in the following Asian Cup qualification cycle, failing to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after finishing Group C with five points from six matches. Their only win came in their last game, a 2-1 victory over Hong Kong, as Singapore secured the only qualifying spot in the group.

India’s standing in the world has also slipped. According to the latest official FIFA rankings, released on 20 July 2026, India are ranked 138th, well below their all-time high of 94th.

The uncertainty is not limited to the national team. The Indian Super League has faced considerable instability since the end of the AIFF’s business partnership with Reliance in 2025. The league has yet to finalize its fixtures and broadcasts for the new season, while the exit of Jamshedpur FC underlined the difficulties clubs face amid uncertainty.

There are also concerns about the development of players in the country. Reuters reported that young Indian players get far fewer competitive games 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 places with a strong football interest, the challenge is to turn that interest into a sustainable football culture and a system capable of producing players consistently. The gulf between India’s ambitions and its present position has rarely seemed more apparent.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

24 Sep 2026 11:28 IST