“Lifetime opportunity to play..”, Anirudh Thapa excited ahead of India’s historic friendlies

Kolkata : When India take on Panama, Brazil and Uruguay during the September-October FIFA international window, the matches will carry special significance for midfielder Anirudh Thapa.

The 28-year-old is set to return to the national team after a two-year absence. Thapa last represented the Blue Tigers against Mauritius in the Intercontinental Cup in September 2024. Now back in the squad, he could mark his return during one of the most significant international windows in Indian football history.

India will face Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on September 25 before taking on five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil on October 3 and two-time champions 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.

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.

As a central midfielder, Thapa will have an important role in helping India withstand the pressure and quality of their opponents. The midfielder 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.”

Thapa believes India must concentrate on their own organisation and collective performance.

“Both teams have quality and everything you expect from great footballing nations. For us, it will be important to remain disciplined, play as a unit and fight for the badge. We will be playing at home, in front of our supporters, and we must give our very best.

“What we do during those 90 minutes will be crucial, but what we learn after the matches will also be important. We do not get many opportunities to play teams like these, particularly on our home ground,” he added.

Calling upon the supporters to stand behind the Blue Tigers, Thapa concluded, “Teams of this calibre are coming to India to play against India. It’s a rare opportunity for the fans. Please come, support us as you have always done, and we will try to give our best for the nation.”

India will take on Panama on September 26. After that they’ll face World Cup winners – Brazil and Uruguay on October 3 and 6 respectively.