India to face Brazil in football is always a news – no matter whether it is in the men’s or women’s section. Indian soccer fans are predictably excited at the prospect of India participating in a four-nation women’s tournament starting November 25. Though Chile and Venezuela are also there, the Brazil versus India tie on November 25 could attract huge eyeballs. Brazil are no mean a side in women’s football – they are currently placed seventh in FIFA rankings; India stand far below at 57.

But not many are aware that India, now 106 in men’s rankings, once shunned the offer of playing five-time World Cup winners Brazil in a men’s match back in 2007. Englishman Bob Houghton was India’s national coach then; he flatly refused to play Brazil in a friendly tie in England. Brazil were supposed to play England in Wembley and the date had already been fixed. The match fell through for some reasons and the desperate agent approached many teams, including India to step in place of England. When Houghton was asked his views by the Indian federation, the British coach said he wasn’t interested. He probably felt it would be a complete mismatch – not good for the morale of his boys.

Hopefully, the contest would be a far more even one when Swedish coach Thomas Dennerby’s girls meet the Brazilians later this month. Even for the Brazilian media the tie could be of some interest as the match against India is going to be legendary player Formiga’s final game for the national team. Formiga has played 233 matches for Brazil including at every Olympics since Atlanta in 1996, the first for women's football. She won silver in the 2004 and 2008 games in Athens and Beijing, respectively. The 43-year-old is considered one of world’s greatest women footballers. “The legendary Formiga will say goodbye to the women’s national team,” the Brazilian federation said in a statement. Indians are hoping the other great Brazilian, Marta, should also be there though it is yet not confirmed whether the six-time world player of the year would take the field against rank outsiders India.