Narendra Modi names Indian football’s ‘Mini-Brazil’: ‘It is a complete tribal region… When I visited…’
Narendra Modi shared an interesting story about a village in India, known as ‘Mini-Brazil’ due to its deeply-rooted and intense football culture.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appeared on a YouTube podcast show, where he surprised fans with his love and knowledge for football. Speaking to American AI researcher Lex Fridman, Modi spoke on a host of topics, and also shared his opinion on the likes of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Modi could possibly be a fan of the Argentine national team during World Cups, as he picked Maradona as the best in the previous generation, and Messi for the current era.
Also Read: PM Narendra Modi picks between Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo; ends Diego Maradona vs Pele debate: ‘Back in the 1980s…’
Indian football's ‘Mini-Brazil’
He also shared an interesting story about a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district, known as ‘Mini-Brazil’ due to its deeply-rooted and intense football culture.
“There’s a district called Shahdol, a completely tribal region where a large tribal community resides. When I visited, I noticed around 80 to 100 young boys and even older youth, all dressed in sports uniforms,” he said.
“I asked them, ‘Where are you all from?’ and they replied, ‘We’re from Mini Brazil.’ Surprised, I asked why, and they explained, ‘In our village, football has been played for four generations. Nearly 80 national-level players have come from here. Our entire village is dedicated to football.
“They told me that during their annual football match, nearly 20,000 to 25,000 spectators come from nearby villages to watch,” he added.
Modi also passed his verdict on the future of Indian football, and felt that it could grow to huge heights. “I see the growing craze for football in India these days as a positive sign because it not only fuels passion, but also builds true team spirit,” he said.
But elsewhere, realistically speaking, football has been experiencing a downward spiral in India. The national team has been poor and head coach Manolo Marquez was recently forced to recall legend Sunil Chhetri from retirement. Chhetri announced his retirement from international football last year, but India are yet to find a replacement for him.
