Bhaichung Bhutia Urges Indian Football Fans To Boycott Brazil Friendly

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has said that fans should boycott the team’s friendly against Brazil later this year. Bhutia said that the money being spent on organising that match alone is better spent elsewhere in the development of football in West Bengal.

“Boycott that Brazil match. Then I think that is a big message. Then every organiser, every federation will think twice,” Bhaichung said on 420 Grams.

“If the Bengal government is going to pay or try and raise [money] for this match, please raise it for Bengal to have the next few gold medals in the Commonwealth Games,” Bhutia said.

India let go of a chance to play in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup to play the friendly. With Indonesia as hosts, India were invited to participate in the tournament that also includes Singapore and Malaysia. The final of the tournament is scheduled to be played on October 4 while the friendly match against Brazil is to be played on October 3.

There have been reports floating around of the amount of money that is going to be spent in organising the friendly match and Bhutia said that it is better to invest it on long-term plans. “So when you have Rs 30 crore, please invest it in the next four years to have 10 medals in the Commonwealth Games. We are trying to bring the Olympics here. Try and have Olympians from Bengal winning medals there. Or with the Rs 30 crore, make 100 futsal grounds — seven-a-side futsal grounds. You can have 100 grounds in different [areas]. Use it, utilise it properly. Don’t waste it for one 90-minute [match] and think the money is gone.”

“If the match happens, everybody is excited, fans come in, you know, media, the government, everybody will be happy. But once the match happens, your money is gone and your football is 20 years behind,” he said.