Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently joined a YouTube podcast, where he wowed fans with his passion and insights about football. In a conversation with American AI expert Lex Fridman, Modi covered a range of topics and expressed his thoughts on football legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

It seems Modi might be rooting for the Argentine national team during World Cups, as he named Maradona as the top player of the past generation and Messi as the standout of the present.

India's own 'Mini-Brazil' in football

He also shared a fascinating tale about a village in the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh, which is nicknamed ‘Mini-Brazil’ because of its strong football culture.

“There’s this district called Shahdol, a totally tribal area where a big tribal community lives. When I went there, I saw around 80 to 100 young boys and even some older guys, all decked out in sports gear,” he recounted.

I asked them, ‘Where are you guys from?’ and they said, ‘We’re from Mini Brazil.’ I was taken aback and asked why, and they told me, ‘Football has been a tradition in our village for four generations. About 80 players who made it to the national level have come from here. Our whole village is all about football.’

“They mentioned that during their yearly football match, around 20,000 to 25,000 fans come from nearby villages to watch,” he added.

Modi also shared his thoughts on the future of Indian football, expressing optimism about its potential for growth. “I see the increasing enthusiasm for football in India as a great sign because it not only ignites passion but also fosters real team spirit,” he noted.

However, on a more realistic note, football in India has been on a decline. The national team has struggled, and head coach Manolo Marquez recently had to bring back the legendary Sunil Chhetri from retirement. Chhetri had announced his retirement from international play last year, but India still hasn’t found a suitable replacement for him.

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