Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? PM Narendra Modi Namedrops His Favourite Footballer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi , in a podcast with American podcaster and AI researcher Lex Fridman, has picked up his favourite footballer. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had a very decorated football career so far and are regarded as two of the best ever footballers to grace the pitch.

PM Narendra Modi Picks His Favourite Footballer

On being asked about the best ever football player PM Modi replied, "It's absolutely true that many regions in India have strong football culture. Our women's football team is performing really well and the men's team is also making great progress. But if we talk about the past, back in the 1980s, one name which always stood out was Maradona. For that generation he was seen as a true hero.
If you ask today's generation they'll immediately mention Lionel Messi."

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi's Podcast LIVE

PM Modi Shares ‘Mini Brazil’ Story

PM Modi also shared a very interesting story on the Lex Fridman podcast. "There's a state in India called Madhya Pradesh , right in the center. There's a district called Shahdol, which is a completely tribal region where a large community of the tribal people reside. I really enjoy interacting with people from such communities, especially the self-help groups run by women.

"When I got there I noticed something fascinating. Around 80 to 100 young boys, kids and even some older youths, all dressed in sports uniforms, are standing together. So I asked them, "Where are you from?" They replied, " We're from mini Brazil."

Also Read: Manchester United vs Leicester City Live Streaming: When And Where To Watch Premier League In India, UK And USA?

PM Modi further questioned, " What do you mean by mini Brazil?" They replied, "That's what people call our village."

They went on to explain, “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. When we host our annual football match, nearly 20-25 thousand people from nearby villages to watch.”

This happens to be PM Modi's second podcast following his discussion with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath