Ronaldinho, nostalgia and ‘Vision 2050’: How Chennai embraced the Brazilian stars of yore
Ronaldinho, nostalgia and ‘Vision 2050’: How Chennai embraced the Brazilian stars of yore
Seeing a packed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai is a rare sight. On an average Indian Super League (ISL) matchday, one would only see the hardcore faithful exuding their passion for Chennaiyin FC. But March 30 was different.
The day was about nostalgia. It was about rolling back the yesteryears of ‘Joga Bonito’ as fans of all age groups rendezvoused to soak in 70 minutes of football involving icons of the sport.
The Brazil Legends (mostly members of the 2002 World Cup-winning team) played an exhibition match against the Indian Legends. While the Selecao boasted of legends such as Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Gilberto Silva, India had IM Vijayan, Alvito D’ Cunha and Bibiano Fernandes in its ranks.
Even though the pitch was scattered with legendary footballers, one player stood out by miles in terms of popularity. Right from his entry in a swanky BMW to his stepping on the pitch ahead of kick-off, every time the camera panned to Ronaldinho, the 23,000-strong crowd burst into a loud cheer, which the Brazilian soaked in as he took multiple chances to wave at the crowd.
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Even though Ronaldinho did not score in the 35 minutes he played, he gave the fans moments to remember with some of his trademark touches and skills, which not only invited cheers from the fans but also from members of the media tribune, who had shed their garb of neutrality and became fanboys for the night, appreciating the player so many of them had seen growing up.
“I am excited to see Ronaldinho and Rivaldo because they were crucial members of the team that got the World Cup [in 2002]. To experience legends like them in real-time; it is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement I can be proud of,” said Brazil fan Jibin before the match, who was accompanied by his mother Alice and sister Zerlin.
Chennai has not seen major exhibition matches in football, at least in recent history. Known mostly as a cricket-centric city, the locals broke that stereotype by turning up in numbers. Pradeep, who came with his partner Pratima, said it is all about quality in the end.
“When you bring in quality players, it shows [he said, pointing to the sea of people around him]. But sadly, the local league has lost its quality. You won’t see much crowd even when you come for ISL matches or I-League matches. But it is good to see Chennai come together like this, not just for cricket but for football,” Pradeep said.
“We look forward to more such programs because the younger generations need to have this. So, I hope organisers do more such events in Chennai,” Pratima added.
The Indian men’s national football team, which has never played in a senior World Cup, has been under severe scrutiny in recent times. After finishing 2024 without a single win, the Blue Tigers have not had a good start to 2025 either. Last week’s goalless draw against Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers was the latest frustration for Indian football fans.
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While the question of India playing in the World Cup permeates like a gloomy cloud over the footballing scene in India, one person seemed to have a definitive answer to the question. Amidst the yellow-dominated sea of Brazil colours, one fan caught the eye with his banner: “India will win the World Cup in 2050.”
Jaan Sundar is the archetype of the optimistic football fan who believes that passion and encouragement triumph over everything. Asked about his banner, he said, “If you give a lot of chances and encouragement, our team will come [to the World Cup] in two of three decades. We should talk about not only the big players but also the unknown players like it happens in cricket. If a proper chance is given, then we will definitely play the World Cup because we have a big population.”
“This is the first time we are seeing such legends. In 2002, they won the World Cup. This is one of the first steps. The Argentina team is also coming to Kerala [in October], so more of this needs to happen,” he added.
The match was played with two halves of 35 minutes each. The first half belonged to Ronaldinho, who brought down the roof every time he touched the ball, and the second half saw goals scored at both ends. While the crowd lauded Viola and Oliveira’s goals, which won Brazil the match by a 2-1 scoreline, the loudest cheer was reserved for Bibiano Fernandes when he audaciously chipped Heurelho Gomes to score the only goal for India.
And while every fan had a smile on their face and cheered for the players after the full-time whistle, some had extra reason to be happy after managing to get a ball kicked by the Brazilian players into the stands as they lapped the entire pitch, showing their appreciation for the crowd.
Published on Mar 31, 2025
