FIFA U-17 World Cup: PM Modi graces India vs USA match
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi felicitates the Indian football legends, at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup match, in New Delhi on October 06, 2017. The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (I/C) and Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is also seen.
BY : News Gateway / FIFA U-17 World Cup / New Delhi /
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday graced Indian football’s historic moment when he greeted players of both the teams before the kick off India’s opening FIFA U-17 World Cup match against USA, in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Modi, who arrived at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium after the first match of the day between Ghana and Colombia, went out from the VIP dais to the playing pitch and shook hands with both the teams.
The Indian team who today made history by becoming the first football players from the country to play in a FIFA World Cup.
The Prime Minister stood on the ground when the national anthems of India and US were sung.
Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, FIFA Secetrary General Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura, Asian Football Confederation President Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Al Khalifa and All India Football Federation chief Praful Patel accompanied him.
This is the first FIFA tournament the country is hosting.
The Prime Minister also honoured some of India’s footballing legends, which include P K Banerjee (who came in a wheelchair), Syed Nayeemuddin, I M Vijayan, Bhaichuing Bhutia, Sunil Chhetri and Bembem Devi.
Prime Minister presented all of them with a shawl and a momento. Chuni Goswami’s name was also mentioned but he did not attend the function.
Earlier, the government had planned to stage an opening ceremony before the kick-off but the world football governing body had expressed displeasure at the move.