His international career initially took him in a different direction.
India will be playing Brazil in a friendly and at the forefront of the national team is Ryan Williams, an Australian-born forward.
With his tattoos, mullet and Australian accent, Williams looks very different from many of his India teammates.
But the 32-year-old has become a central figure for the national side since making his debut in 2026.
Born in Perth to an Anglo-Indian family, Williams has strong footballing connections on both sides of his family. His grandfather and mother played football, while his father coached in Australia and South-east Asia.
Williams began his professional career in England with Portsmouth before spells at Fulham, Gillingham, Oxford United, Barnsley and Rotherham.
He returned to Australia in 2022 to play for Perth Glory before moving to India to join Bengaluru in the Indian Super League.
His international career initially took him in a different direction.
Williams made one senior appearance for Australia but later switched his international allegiance to India after becoming an Indian citizen. FIFA approved his change of association in November 2025.
The move required Williams to surrender his Australian passport because India does not permit dual citizenship. He subsequently became eligible to represent the country through his Indian heritage.
Williams has since made an impact for the Blue Tigers, including scoring in India’s 1-1 draw with Panama on September 25.
He gave India the lead in the 41st minute at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru before Omar Valencia equalised for Panama in the second half.
Panama had featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making the result a notable test for India.
The forward will now face an even bigger challenge when India take on Brazil at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on October 3.
The fixture is Brazil’s first senior men’s international match in India and pits the hosts against the five-time World Cup winners. Brazil are ranked fifth in the world, while India are ranked 138th.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has named a squad featuring notable players including Arsenal’s Gabriel and Bruno Guimarães, alongside Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha.
Ryan Williams’ route into the India team also highlights the difficulties faced by overseas players with Indian heritage.
While countries including England, DR Congo and Bangladesh have benefited from players with diaspora backgrounds, India’s citizenship rules create an additional barrier.
Indian law does not recognise dual citizenship, meaning players who hold foreign passports cannot simply retain those passports while representing the senior national team.
Players seeking to play for India therefore face the personal consequences of giving up their existing citizenship.
The issue has become part of a wider discussion around whether India could make greater use of footballers from its global diaspora.
The All India Football Federation has previously explored changes that could allow overseas players of Indian origin to represent the national team without surrendering their other citizenship
Football remains deeply rooted in parts of India, particularly in West Bengal, Kerala and Goa, despite cricket’s overwhelming popularity across the country.
Kolkata’s football culture will be on full display when India face Brazil at the Salt Lake Stadium, with the fixture regarded as one of the biggest matches in the history of Indian football.
Brazil’s arrival has already generated major excitement in the city ahead of Saturday’s game.
