Bhopal: The Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh, often referred as ‘mini Brazil’ is in high spirits.
The reason behind is a celebrated footballer from Cambodia arriving in the city for handholding the new and emerging talent and honing the skills of football players with latest techniques.
Charlie Pomeroy, the international football coach, has introduced the football players from the village to international-level football techniques.
He is counselling the young as well as experienced footballers, getting them mentally and physically prepared to enhance their game and also enlightening with the techniques employed by successful players during major tournaments.
Speaking about his visit to Madhya Pradesh, Charlie Pomeroy said that he heard a lot about ‘Mini Brazil’ of Shahdol district and harboured a desire to nurture grassroots talent into international level players.
Sharing his first-hand assessment of the game and sporting spirit in the village, he said that Shahdol is continuously evolving in the field of football and the players need to continue working hard despite challenges as long-drawn endeavour would eventually earn them big results.
Notably, Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Mini Brazil’ and the football players’ passion and dedication spanning across generations, were mentioned in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme and also in a podcast during his visit to the US.
Inspired by this broadcast and social media content, Charlie Pomeroy, the technical head coach of the Cambodian-based FC NGO and an international football coach, arrived in Vicharpur village, where he has been training local players on new skills, improved techniques, fitness, etc.
Charlie Pomeroy says that through this project, he has learned that the football community in India is quite large.
There are a huge number of people who love football and India is not just a cricket-playing nation, he added.
“Just as India produces excellent cricket players, it can also produce excellent footballers,” Coach Pomeroy told IANS.
Earlier, in November 2025, renowned German football coach Dietmar Beiersdorf visited Vicharpur village.
He met with the local players, including those who had returned from Germany after receiving modern football training.
(IANS)
