Brazilian Hope in India: What Reinaldo Has to Say

A Unique Experience

With memorable stints at Flamengo, São Paulo, and Botafogo, former striker Reinaldo—now a coach—knows exactly what to expect from the Brazilian national team during his stay in India. He played Indian football from 2015 to 2016, defending FC Goa’s colors, one of the country’s most beloved clubs.

He understands the passion Indians have for Brazil and, according to him, the atmosphere will be one of total euphoria when Carlo Ancelotti and his players arrive. The delegation will land in Kolkata today, around 10h30 (Brasília time).

He commented: “There has to be at least about 20 stadiums. If there were a stadium for 500 thousand people, it would be too small. The country must be pure chaos. For them, it’s a dream. The Indian athletes won’t even be able to sleep. They see Brazilian players as idols, they’ll want to take pictures with Vini Jr, Endrick. They’ll go in to compete, but they know it’s the realization of a dream. The country is at a standstill.” — Reinaldo, on UOL.

Zico’s Influence

Reinaldo’s adventure in Indian football had a special touch from none other than Zico, the Flamengo giant. Zico was the coach of FC Goa and played a crucial role in bringing Reinaldo, alongside Léo Moura and Lúcio, a former Brazilian national team defender.

When he arrived in 2015, Reinaldo was already in the final stretch of his career, but that didn’t stop him from shining. In his first season, he was the team’s top scorer and led them to the final, even though he didn’t play the last match due to an injury.

However, the following year wasn’t as positive for FC Goa, which had a poor campaign and didn’t qualify. Even so, Reinaldo’s experience was enriching: “It was a sensational experience. I received an invitation from Zico, and it wasn’t an invitation—it was a summons. I played for Goa, a traditional team in India. Every match had 70 thousand people. The people are passionate about football; they breathe football. Zico was responsible for the growth of Indian football. I have good memories, but the biggest one was working with Zico. He taught me a lot, even for my coaching career.”

New Challenges in His Coaching Career

After officially hanging up his boots in 2019, at 40 years old, Reinaldo threw himself into the coaching world. He delivered an incredible performance at Maricá between 2023 and 2024, earning promotion to the top tier of Rio’s football and winning titles such as the Copa Rio and the Taça Santos Dumont.

Recently, he went through Sampaio Corrêa and, last Monday, was announced as the new coach of Rio Branco, in Espírito Santo.

With all that experience, Reinaldo has stories and valuable lessons to share—especially about the relationship Brazil has with Indian football. So, let’s keep an eye on the national team and see how this deeply rooted passion will unfold during the competition!