JOIN USPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a unique gift – a jersey personally autographed by Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, DHNS reports from New Delhi.
Modi received the gift from Portuguese Prime Minister António Luís Santos da Costa, who commenced his maiden visit to India on Saturday.
“Portugal’s strength in football and the rapid development of this sport in India could well form the nucleus of an emerging partnership in sporting disciplines,” Modi said following a meeting with Costa. India and Portugal are working to “institutionalise collaboration between football clubs and associations in both countries to better harness sports talent and collaborate in training and exchange of school students and coaches and holding of soccer camps”, said a joint statement issued after the meeting between the two prime ministers. Costa, who will attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bengaluru as chief guest, traces his root to India.
His father Orlando António Fernandes da Costa was of Goan-Portuguese descent, and he spent his youth in Margao in Goa before moving to Portugal, where he joined the Portuguese Communist Party, and gained popularity as an author. Costa is expected to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar on January 10. He will also visit Panaji on January 11 and 12, and will spend sometime at his ancestral place in Goa.