New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh etched his name in history books by becoming the first player of Indian origin to start a FIFA World Cup match. The 27-year-old, born in Auckland to Punjabi parents, was included in the starting lineup for New Zealand's Group G clash against Iran in Los Angeles. Coach Darren Bazeley retained faith in him until he was substituted in the 90th minute of the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Who is Sarpreet Singh?
Sarpreet Singh, wearing the No. 10 jersey, played almost the entire game and attempted three shots on goal. He had earlier played in India during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai, where he faced Sunil Chhetri and even scored against Kenya. He also provided two assists in New Zealand's win over India, although the hosts eventually won the title.
In 2019, Sarpreet became the first player of Indian descent to appear in Germany's top division when he debuted for Bayern Munich. Strong performances with the reserve side helped him earn a first-team opportunity under Hansi Flick, and he later became part of Bayern's Bundesliga-winning squad. After spells in Portugal and Serbia, he returned to New Zealand this year and recovered from an injury to secure a place in the country's 26-member World Cup squad.
Historical Context
Before this tournament, France midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo was the only player of Indian descent to have played at a World Cup, making brief substitute appearances in 2006. Two days before Sarpreet's milestone, Australia's Nishan Velupillay also made his World Cup debut after coming off the bench against Turkiye.
Other Indian-Origin Players
Three other players of Indian heritage are part of World Cup squads this year: Nishan Velupillay of Australia, Samuel Moutoussamy of DR Congo, and Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid of Qatar. Nishan Velupillay came on as a substitute in Australia's historic 2-1 win over Turkey. Tahsin was unused in Qatar's 1-1 draw against Switzerland, while Moutoussamy could feature against Portugal.
Under FIFA rules, a player can represent a country if a parent or grandparent was born there and the player holds that nation's passport. New Zealand will next face Egypt on June 21 in Vancouver.
