Bhopal: For five aspiring football stars from Bicharpur, a small village often dubbed ‘Mini Brazil’ for its passion for the ‘beautiful game’, a week-long training program in Germany has been nothing short of life-changing. Accompanied by their woman coach, they returned to Bhopal on Wednesday, carrying not just new skills but also unforgettable memories and cultural insights from their overseas experience.The five players — Sania Kushwaha (14), Suhani Kol (15), Pritam Kumar (14), Virendra Baiga (16) and Manish Ghasiya (16) — honed their footie skills renowned club FC Ingolstadt 04 under the watchful eyes of former Germany international Dietmar Beiersdorfer as part of an intensive training programme.The initiative followed PM Narendra Modi’s revelation in his monthly radio address, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, that Beiersdorfer, who played for Bundesliga clubs Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen before turning coach and sporting director, had agreed to personally train the youngsters. The players described the trip as a turning point in their sporting journeys. “The trip to Germany has changed our entire lives. We not only learned the nuances of the game but also understood the culture of another country,” goalkeeper Suhani Kol told TOI. The experience also included playing friendly matches with local youth teams, which allowed them to test their skills against different styles. “Their emphasis on teamwork, punctuality, and respect for the sport was inspiring. Every session felt like a masterclass,” the coach, Laxmi Sahees, shared.
