After the World Cup, the buzz is back at Kolkata’s Brazilpara. picture by Sukhomoy Sen
A draw will be the perfect result,” said Soumen Bora, a resident of Fakir Chakrabarty Lane. For Brazil fans in Kolkata, their World Cup hopes had come crashing down three months ago as Norway’s Erling Haaland unleashed a trademark powerful left-footer that thudded into the far right corner of the net in the 89th minute of a fierce encounter. Gloom had descended on Brazilpara in Girish Park’s Fakir Chakrabarty Lane. It is dressing up yet again to welcome its heroes. This time in both yellow and blue. “There is a lot of excitement. Many of us will be there at the stadium while the rest will watch the match on TV, just like we do for all Brazil matches. The only difference is that their opponent will be India. Most of us have a divided loyalty but we certainly wouldn’t want India to lose.
The Oct 3 match brings back memories of 1977 when Mohun Bagan locked horns with football legend Pele’s New York Cosmos at the Eden Gardens Die-hard Brazil fan Kajal Saha said he had never expected a match like this, that too, in Kolkata. “We have seen them on TV, now they will be setting the Salt Lake turf on fire and we would be watching them from 100 m away.
I will cheer for both and want both teams to play good football,” said Joydeep Pal, a member of Uttar Kolkata Dishari Club at Fakir Chakrabarty Lane, Kolkata’s Brazilpara. Hence, I will of course support India,” said Saha, a techie. Watching stars like Vini Junior, Magalhaes, Marquinhos, Danilo Santos and Endrick is a mouth-watering prospect, said Pal. But the rest has enough firepower and watching a Brazil team play is a rare privilege,” said Pal.
“This is a happy dilemma. Our dream team is playing in our backyard against the Blue Tigers. Endrick and Rayan to be at their best and put up a dazzling display, we realise that it will hurt India While we want the likes of Bruno Guimaraes. We don’t want India to be humiliated either. “This is fascinating and my heart is now split between my love for Brazil and my country. After a lot of thought, I have decided that even though I have been a Brazil fan for the last three decades, I can’t support them against my country. He will be cheering from the stands with seven of his friends and family members. It’s a pity that Raphinha is not there.
