Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) For India’s second high-profile friendly in three days against another South American opposition, the response at the gigantic Salt Lake Stadium was once again difficult to miss.
Many seats of the 68,000-capacity stadium remained empty, with all three tiers — lower, middle and upper — wearing a distinctly lean look, sending out a difficult message to the organisers — the All India Football Federation.
Only a handful of supporters were scattered across the gigantic arena, an unusually subdued sight for a city where even routine ISL and I-League fixtures can generate a livelier atmosphere.
The sparse turnout came despite an increasingly elaborate effort to draw people to the stands by the AIFF.
Having witnessed a subdued response in India’s 0-4 defeat to Brazil at the same venue, organisers had slashed ticket prices for the Uruguay game by about 90 per cent in some blocks, with tickets that had been priced Rs 749 onwards being offered for Rs 199.
Complimentary passes were also distributed, including 22,000 to people who had bought tickets for last year’s ill-fated Lionel Messi tour of Kolkata.
Yet, the stadium remained indifferent with about 15000 crowd in attendance at the time of kickoff.
It was an image that was difficult to ignore, especially after the Brazil game had already exposed the limits of assuming that a famous footballing name alone would guarantee a packed Salt Lake Stadium.
For the Brazil match, tickets had been priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 25,000, a pricing strategy that attracted considerable criticism.
While the cheapest tickets were sold out, large numbers in the Rs 3,500-and-above categories remained unsold when the match began.
More than half the stadium was empty when the match began.
The crowd eventually swelled as the game progressed, with the official attendance announced at 51,402 after “many complimentary passes were distributed” as the match progressed.
The number may have helped the organisers on paper, but the early pictures from the stadium told a rather different story.
The Uruguay match appeared to be following an even less flattering script with the team having their most renowned footballer and 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner Diego Forlan in the dug out as coach, having taken over from Marcelo Bielsa after their shock group stage exit in 2026 World Cup.
Forlan was back in the city after a decade, having played for Mumbai City at the Ravindra Sarobar Stadium and witnessed a time when football was synonymous with packed stands and intense passion during his stint in the ISL.
“I remember that every time the team was playing here, the stadium was full,” Forlan said, also recalling the passion for football in Kerala, Goa and the Northeast.
Those memories, at least on this evening, seemed to belong to another Kolkata.
“They are really passionate about football. They have good players as well. And yeah, I really enjoyed it.
“It was a good rival for us to come here and play. And I really enjoyed it. I could feel, you know, how these cities that I mentioned before, they are really keen into football,” he had said but the attendance on the match day told a different story.
Many of those who had been left disappointed by the chaotic Messi GOAT Tour in Kolkata last year were seen queuing up for their complimentary passes for the Uruguay friendly.
Among them was 37-year-old IT employee Rahul Adhikari, who was happy to have received something in return, even if he admitted it could hardly replicate the excitement of that day.
“It’s great that we got something in return, but the fervour of that day was different. Even for club matches, the Salt Lake Stadium has packed supporters.
“But I’m here as a football fan and would love to support Team India against La Celeste. We have seen Darwin Nunez and Ronald Araujo on TV; now I’m looking forward to watching them live,” he said.
Forlan began his tenure with a 1-3 defeat to Japan, but his side responded emphatically four days later, beating South Korea 4-1.
India, on the other hand, had begun the international window with a gritty 1-1 draw against Panama. Against Brazil, there were flashes of promise, with Ryan Williams and Manvir Singh providing some bright moments, before the five-time world champions eventually cruised to an effortless victory. PTI TAP ATK
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