Anirudh Thapa on facing Brazil, Uruguay, Panama: On the pitch, it is 11 against 11

FILE PHOTO: The 28-year-old last represented the country against Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup in September 2024. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Mohun Bagan midfielder Anirudh Thapa is set to return to the Indian national team after two years when the Blue Tigers get underway in a busy FIFA international window which includes friendlies against Brazil, Uruguay, and Panama.

The 28-year-old last represented the country against Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup in September 2024.

India will face Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on September 25 before taking on five-time FIFA World Cup champion Brazil on October 3 and two-time champion Uruguay on October 6 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata.

“As everyone knows, both Brazil and Uruguay are world champions. They have world-class players and have won the World Cup. For me as a player, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play against them in India, in front of our home fans,” Thapa said.

“I am really excited and motivated to represent my country, test myself and see how good we are as a team. We can also gain a lot of experience from playing against them,” the midfielder added.

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The prospect of facing three teams that featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has understandably generated excitement within the Indian camp. However, Thapa believes the players must set aside the occasion once they step onto the pitch.

“When we sit together and talk about these matches, it is exciting. It gives you goosebumps when you think about playing against these countries, especially at home. But once we enter the pitch, it is 11 against 11. We need to give our best and play our best football,” he said.

He stressed that composure, discipline and compactness would be crucial, particularly against teams capable of exploiting the smallest errors.

“We need to be motivated, but we also need to be disciplined. As a team, we must remain composed and compact and keep fighting until the 90th minute because these teams will push us,” the 28-year-old asserted.

“If we can make fewer mistakes, that will be something positive we can carry forward. Communication between the midfield and defence will be massive because of their quality, how they play in small spaces and how quickly they can move the ball,” the Mariner added.