While India's dream of participating in a FIFA World Cup remains unfulfilled, the nation's passion for football shines through in other ways. The 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, kicks off on June 11, marking the largest edition in the tournament's history. Although the Blue Tigers are absent, Indian heritage and culture will be represented on football's biggest stage by four players of Indian origin.
Sarpreet Singh
Among the Indian-origin players set to make an impact, Sarpreet Singh is perhaps the most recognizable. Born in Auckland to Indian parents with roots in Jalandhar, Punjab, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder has earned 24 international caps for New Zealand's All Whites. His family, including his parents and two older siblings, ran a grocery store in New Zealand. Singh has frequently spoken about his Punjabi heritage, saying, "I'm from a very typical Punjabi family with a lot of uncles and aunties and cousins." He participated in the FIFA U-20 World Cups in 2017 and 2018 and spent a year with FC Bayern Munich from 2019 to 2020. Currently, he is on loan at Wellington Phoenix from Serbian club TSC. Since his senior debut in 2018, he has accumulated 24 caps.
Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid
The youngest of the group, Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid, will represent Qatar. His father, Jamshid, hails from Thalassery and is a former footballer who played for the University of Calicut and Kerala's sub-junior team, while his mother Shyama is from Kannur. Born in Doha on June 16, 2006, the 19-year-old winger plays for Al Duhail and has represented Qatar at various youth levels. He made his senior debut for Qatar against Afghanistan in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in 2024 and was on the bench when Qatar defeated India in Doha during the same campaign. Reports indicate he still holds an Indian passport while possessing a special Qatari mission passport that allows him to play for Qatar internationally. He also made history as the first Indian-origin footballer to feature in the Qatar Stars League.
Samuel Moutoussamy
Samuel Moutoussamy was born in France but plays for DR Congo, tracing his Indian roots through his father, who is Indo-Guadeloupean of Tamil origin. Guadeloupe, a French territory in the Caribbean, saw many Indian migrants arrive as indentured laborers in the 19th century. Raised in France, Moutoussamy chose to represent DR Congo through his mother's Congolese heritage. The 29-year-old midfielder has earned 57 caps for the senior national team of the African nation.
Nishan Velupillay
Nishan Velupillay, an exciting winger for Melbourne Victory and Australia, is a young talent set to debut at the FIFA World Cup. Born in Melbourne on May 7, 2001, the 25-year-old's father, Sasinath Velupillay, is of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, while his mother, Gillian, is Anglo-Indian. He gained attention by scoring on his international debut against China during World Cup qualifiers and has since played seven more matches for the senior Australian men's team, netting three goals in total.
