Brazil’s India visit will be a lifetime memory for young players: Vijayan

NEW DELHI: Football legend I M Vijayan has expressed his excitement over the upcoming India-Brazil international friendly on October 3 in Kolkata, saying the visit to the country by the five-time World Cup-winning team will be a lifetime memory for young players.

He said the Brazil team's visit would be a major positive development for Indian football and will bring global attention to the country, according a release from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

“The young players will play and gain experience, which is a very big thing. It will become a memory for them for the rest of their lives," said the former captain Vijayan who is regarded as one of the greatest footballers India has produced.

"My football career ended a long time ago. Whatever I played, I played wholeheartedly. Now our players should enjoy the game,” he said in the release, adding that hosting a team of Brazil’s stature could help generate greater interest in football among people across the country.

He also said, according to the AIFF, hosting a world-class team involves considerable expenditure, but it also demonstrates that the people in India are willing to invest in and spend money on football.