FIFA Chief Infantino Praises Modi’s Football Session With Children in Sikkim
NEW DELHI — FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Indian leader was seen playing football with children during a visit to Sikkim, highlighting the sport’s unifying appeal.
Modi shared photos on social media from the session in Gangtok, describing it as an “energising” experience. “Nothing like playing some football with my young friends in Sikkim on a lovely Gangtok morning!” he wrote, adding in a separate post, “Clearly, an energising football session with these youngsters!”
Infantino later reposted the image on Instagram, applauding Modi’s enthusiasm for the sport. “Great to see @narendramodi play our beautiful sport. Football truly unites the world,” he wrote.
Football holds strong popularity across India’s northeastern states, often rivaling cricket as a leading sport in regions such as Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, and Meghalaya.
Infantino has previously acknowledged Modi’s engagement with sports, with the two leaders meeting at various international events. They notably met during the 2018 G-20 summit in Argentina and again in 2024 in Kuwait.
During their meeting in Argentina, Infantino presented Modi with a personalized football jersey bearing his name.
“Impossible to come to Argentina and not think about football. Argentinian players are tremendously popular in India. Today, received this jersey from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. I thank him for the kind gesture,” Modi said at the time. (Source: IANS)
