With Immense Soccer Talent, India's 'Mini Brazil' Desperately Needs Proper Playground And Essential Facilities

Shahdol: Vicharpur village of Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh has made a mark in the world of soccer. The residents of this village are passionate about the game, and new players keep emerging from here on the national scene despite the paucity of resources, such as a good football ground.

The village has seen coaches from Germany and Cambodia coming here to train the players and local coaches. It was the German coach Dietmar Beiersdorf who first visited Vicharpur to witness the children's passion for football. The place has come to acquire the name of being a ‘Mini Brazil’ for its incredible talent. Vicharpur is adjacent to the Shahdol district headquarters.

Anil Singh, a former player and a present coach, said, "The arrival of foreign coaches in the village has brought about significant changes. The children's playing style is changing, and their confidence and expectations are growing. But the basics remain unchanged."

He further stated, "Coaches from Cambodia came and explained many nuances to the players. They explained how to prepare young players at what age. But the biggest problem is where the children are supposed to practice. There's no development happening on this front."

He went on to explain, "The playground in Mini Brazil is essentially a pile of sand. The children here are forced to play in the dust, but no one is paying attention to this. If there is a good playground, the children will be able to practice well."

In October last year, five players, Saniya Kunde, Suhani Kol, Pritam Kumar, Virendra Baiga, Manish Ghansiya and a coach, Laxmi Sahis, had travelled to Germany to train at the FC Ingolstadt 04 club. After returning, a remarkable change has been observed in these players. Those who didn't speak much are now training others.

"But upon their return, the players are forced to play on the same dusty field," Anil said.

Cambodian coach Charlie Pomeroy arrived in Vicharpur on January 15 for two days, where he attended a two-hour session with the coaches and players. He was deeply impressed and said that if given good training from the beginning, the players can achieve wonders.

Lakshmi Sahis, the coach at Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) sub-feeder centre in Vicharpur, disclosed, "Charlie conducted a quality session and explained the intricacies of football. He explained how to prepare young children for football. He has assured us that he will return in the future, and this time, fully prepared. He will train some of the coaches here and will also take some players with him."

Players Suhani Kol and Virendra Baigha, who had gone to Germany, told ETV Bharat, "We learnt a lot of technical things there which we are now implementing. The results are visible. Our game is changing significantly. We are also trying to teach the local children."

Another player, Sadia Anjum, who has been playing for four years, pointed out that she wants to represent India. She said, "Football has been played here for decades, and now foreign coaches are also visiting. There is a lot to learn. But these hopes are dashed when the children here are forced to play in the dusty ground."

"Just provide us with the basic facilities and the players will progress on their own," Sadia added.

Football coach Yashoda Singh underlined that Vicharpur has a national player in almost every house. “The uniqueness of this village is that the children come to the field to play football from a very young age," she said.

The village was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address in 2023 after he was told about its football talent during a visit to Shahdol. His mention had led to the German coach coming here. But what the place desperately needs is a good playing ground and other essential facilities.

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