Bizarre! This Brazilian Midfielder Goes By Name Of Mahatma Gandhi
The midfielder, who represents a Brazilian football club -Trindade, bears the name of Mahatma Gandhi
When the entire nation is all hyped with the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup, a Brazilian footballer has been grabbing the headlines. While many would assume the reason to be his football-related achievements, it was actually the person’s name that made him popular among Indian people. The midfielder, who represents a Brazilian football club named Trindade, bears the name of Mahatma Gandhi– a towering figure in India’s freedom movement. The full name of the 31-year-old footballer is Mahatma Gandhi Heberpio Mattos Pires. He made his debut in professional football back in 2011, with Atletico Clube Goianiense being his first home in the Brazilian top-tier league.
Following his debut, Pires made seven appearances for Atletico Clube Goianiense in 2012. But he failed to make his presence felt in those games. Pires left the club in the following season. During his career thus far, Pires has played for clubs like Ipora and Trindade, joining both teams on loan from Goianiense. Despite being a little-known name in Brazilian club football, Pires won the Campeonato Goiano league in 2014. He featured in five matches in the state tournament but could not score any goal.
related stories
Mahatma Gandhi, also recognised as the Father of Nation in India, was known for spreading the idea of peace and non-violence. In his philosophy, independence could be acquired without shedding blood. Apart from leading India’s freedom movement against British colonial rule, Mahatma Gandhi also fought against class division in South Africa. He went to the country for the first time in 1983 to begin his law practice.
During his 21-year-long stay, Gandhiji pioneered the establishment of three football teams for the Passive Resisters Football Club in South Africa, according to the All India Football Federation. These clubs were based in three major cities- Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. Gandhiji also played a pivotal role in setting up the Transvaal Indian Football Association in 1896.
Not only Mahatma Gandhi Heberpio Mattos Pires but there are also several other Brazilian footballers who bear interesting names. There is one player who is named after the popular Beatles singer John Lennon. The full name of the guy is John Lennon Silva Santos. There is another footballer in Brazil who recognises himself as ‘Pikachu’ owing to his love for Pokemon. Some other unique names like Marlon Brando, Ben-Hur Moreira Peres and Mosquito can be found in Brazilian football.
- Location :
- First Published: