What is ‘Mini Brazil’? PM Modi shares unique football story in podcast with Lex Fridman

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his podcast conversation with US influencer and AI researcher Lex Fridman, shared an intriguing story about a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district, known as 'Mini Brazil' due to its deep-rooted football culture. The village earned the name ‘Mini Brazil’ due to its strong football culture, drawing parallels with Brazil, a country renowned for its football excellence. “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,” PM Modi recounted.

The passion for football

Curious about their enthusiasm, PM Modi said he inquired about their background. “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,’” he shared.

PM Modi Podcast with Lex Fridman Live updates here

A unique football legacy

The village’s passion for football is so intense that, according to the people of the village, matches attract thousands of spectators. “They told me that during their annual football match, nearly 20,000 to 25,000 spectators come from nearby villages to watch,” PM Modi revealed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting India’s deep-rooted passion for football, emphasised the sport's growing popularity and its ability to bring people together. “Football is very popular in India. Our women’s football team is performing really well and the men’s team is also making great progress,” PM said.

Football's rising popularity in India

Discussing football, PM Modi highlighted India’s growing enthusiasm for the sport. “Our women’s football team is performing really well, and the men’s team is also making great progress,” he said. He acknowledged that past generations idolized Diego Maradona, while today’s youth consider Lionel Messi their football hero.

Cricket rivalry: India vs Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also engaged in a conversation touching on the intense cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan.

When asked about the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, PM Modi refrained from making direct comparisons. “I’m not an expert. Only those who specialize in the technical aspects can judge which techniques are superior. But sometimes the results speak for themselves,” he remarked, referring to India’s recent win against Pakistan.