'Obrigado por tudo!' – How Gurpreet Singh Sandhu became an overnight meme in Brazil

India head coach Khalid Jamil backed goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu despite two costly first-half blunders during a 4-0 friendly defeat against Brazil at the Salt Lake Stadium. Sandhu reached his 90th international cap but misjudged low strikes from Estevao and Pedro before being substituted at half-time for Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.

Despite the margin of defeat, India produced a spirited display against the five-time world champions, winning more duels and completing 13 dribbles to Brazil's three.

Jamil refused to scapegoat his veteran custodian after the final whistle.

Speaking after the match, Jamil emphasized that Sandhu remains one of the finest goalkeepers in Indian football history. The head coach pointed out that defensive lapses further up the pitch contributed heavily to Brazil's opening goals.

Jamil insisted that every player experiences difficult moments on the pitch.

"He is one of the best goalkeepers India has, and we cannot judge him in just two matches, because the next game is coming up," Jamil told reporters. "He will be back again. Sometimes it happens. You cannot blame just one player. If you see many mistakes from defenders, allowing him to take a shot."

Sandhu's errors quickly sparked widespread reaction across Brazilian social media during the interval. Major media outlet TNT Sports Brasil posted a image of the Indian captain with the sarcastic caption "Singh Sandhu, obrigado por tudo" (Singh Sandhu, thanks for everything), ironically labeling him the "Craque do Jogo" (Man of the Match) for gifting Brazil their two-goal lead.

Jamil reserved his sharpest criticism for India's second-half substitutes, urging them to show greater mental strength.

"The ones who came on tonight weren’t up to the mark," Jamil added. "If a player comes on, they have to be prepared. Mentally, they have to be strong."

Jamil and his squad now turn their attention to another demanding test against two-time world champions Uruguay. The manager highlighted positive performances from Anirudh Thapa, Ryan Williams, and Manvir Singh as building blocks for future fixtures.

India will also face New Zealand during the upcoming November international window.

The team aims to refine their defensive concentration ahead of their next outing.