New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh created history by becoming the first footballer of Indian origin to start a FIFA World Cup match, featuring in his side’s 2-2 draw against Iran in a Group G encounter in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Born in Auckland to Punjabi parents, the 27-year-old made his World Cup debut after being named in the starting XI by head coach Darren Bazeley. Wearing the No. 10 jersey, Sarpreet played almost the entire match before being substituted in the 90th minute.
Bazeley retained faith in Sarpreet throughout the contest as Iran twice came from behind to secure a draw. Operating centrally in New Zealand’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Sarpreet registered three attempts on goal, including a strike in the 61st minute that was kept out by the Iranian goalkeeper.
New Zealand will face Egypt in their second Group G fixture in Vancouver on June 21.
Sarpreet Singh’s grandfather’s friend Sukhchain Singh expressed pride over the achievement.
Recalling the moment he learnt of Sarpreet’s selection, Sukhchain Singh said, “When her mother informed, I felt a lot of happiness, she said our son has been selected by New Zealand to play in FIFA World Cup. It was the day of Baisakhi. I have been getting a lot of messages.”
Sarpreet’s feat comes two days after Australia’s Nishan Velupillay, another player of Indian descent, made his World Cup debut in a 2-0 win over Turkiye. The 25-year-old winger came off the bench in the 60th minute after starting among the substitutes.
Velupillay was born in Melbourne to an Anglo-Indian mother and a Malaysian father of Sri Lankan Tamil descent.
Before the ongoing FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, former France midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo was the only player of Indian descent to feature in a World Cup match. Dhorasoo, whose ancestors hailed from Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh, played two group-stage matches during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where France finished runners-up.
However, Dhorasoo’s appearances were brief. He came on in the 84th minute against Switzerland and in the 88th minute against South Korea.
Sarpreet played in India in 2018
Sarpreet also played in India during the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in Mumbai shortly after making his senior debut for New Zealand. He featured for an Under-23 development side as New Zealand did not send their senior national team.
He scored against Kenya and set up both goals in New Zealand’s 2-1 victory over India. India went on to win the title, while New Zealand finished third in the four-team tournament.
A year later, Sarpreet became the first player of Indian descent to play in Germany’s top division when he made his Bundesliga debut for Bayern Munich against Werder Bremen in 2019 after joining from Wellington Phoenix.
He initially featured for Bayern Munich’s reserve side in the third division before earning a first-team opportunity under then coach Hansi Flick.
Sarpreet made his first senior start for Bayern on June 20, 2020, against SC Freiburg and was part of the squad that won the Bundesliga title in the 2019-20 season.
After spells in Germany and Portugal with Uniao de Leiria, he joined Serbian club FK TSC in 2025. Earlier this year, he returned to New Zealand on loan to Wellington Phoenix.
An injury in February sidelined him for eight weeks, but he returned in April and subsequently earned a place in New Zealand’s 26-member World Cup squad. He has made 24 international appearances and scored three goals for his country.
Sarpreet also represented New Zealand at the FIFA U-20 World Cups in 2017 and 2019.
Two other Indian-origin players
Two other footballers of Indian origin – Samuel Moutoussamy of DR Congo and Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid of Qatar – are part of their respective World Cup squads.
Tahsin, who turned 20 on Tuesday, was born in Doha to Malayali parents who moved to Qatar from Kannur in 2006. He did not feature in Qatar’s 1-1 draw against Switzerland on June 13.
Moutoussamy, 29, was born in France to a Congolese mother and an Indo-Guadeloupean father of Tamil origin. Indo-Guadeloupeans are largely descendants of indentured labourers who migrated from South India during the late 19th century.
It remains to be seen whether Moutoussamy will feature in DR Congo’s match against Portugal on Wednesday.
Under FIFA regulations, players are eligible to represent a country if their biological mother, father or grandparent was born there and they hold that country’s passport.
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