Kolkata: India’s historic fixture against five-time world champions Brazil showed even footballers can drop their mask and turn into fans, becoming starry-eyed and awestruck by being in the proximity of players who they have grown up idolising.




In about just 50 seconds after the clash at Salt Lake Stadium, more than half of the India team queued up for a prized picture with Vinicius Junior . At last count, there were 14 players who took a quick photograph with the Brazilian star.




Others settled for photos with Brazil captain Marquinhos and Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The jerseys of Vinicius, captain Marquinhos and Chelsea winger Estevao Willian have also became prized possessions for the India players.




“You can show excitement before and after the game, but for 90 minutes (on the field), I feel there was no such (awestruck) behaviour from the boys,” India defender Akash Mishra told TOI on Monday. “I think they tried hard, gave 100%. Yes, after the loss, the mood was not good. But I feel once the final whistle is blown, the excitement comes out. The players have grown up watching them on television (playing for the big clubs). When they got the chance to meet them, I think the excitement was uncontrollable.”




Mishra himself was in no mood for photos or souvenirs. Once back at the hotel, he didn’t sleep. Instead, he watched the game all night.




“I am a bad loser. Because we lost 4-0, I was not feeling well, and I feel all the boys, they too feel, maybe (they were) not up to the mark. Some of the mistakes which we did were very casual. When we play against such teams, we need to stay focused for 90 minutes,” said Mishra.




India lost 4-0 against Brazil in a game the former world champions didn’t appear to take too seriously.




Brazil hardly moved out of second gear, scored goals without much of a stretch and coach Carlo Ancelotti made 11 second-half substitutions to give every available player on the Asia Tour a chance.




India face Uruguay in another friendly here on Tuesday. The former two-time world champions have high-profile players. There’s Ronald Araujo (Liverpool), Darwin Nunez (Al-Diriyah FC), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur) and Mathias Olivera (Napoli).