5 Indian-origin footballers who represented other countries
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter had described India as the "sleeping giant" of world football when he visited the country in 2007. The landscape of Indian football has changed rapidly since, especially with the advent of the Indian Super League.
The likes of Bhaichung Bhutia, Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu have plied their trades at various European clubs, but not many have successfully made the journey abroad. However, Players of Indian origin (PoI) are making waves in European football. That includes Yan Dhanda at Swansea City, Sarpreet Singh at Bayern Munich and Dilan Markanday at Tottenham Hotspur.
On that note, let's take a look at the five Indian-origin footballers who have represented other countries.
#5 Harmeet Singh
The Norwegian international is a first-generation immigrant who was born and raised in Oslo. Harmeet Singh's parents hailed from Ludhiana in Punjab and was once dubbed the "Norwegian Iniesta."
The midfielder represented Norway's youth sides at various age levels from the age of 15 until he turned 21. Singh earned plaudits from then-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola when he scored a goal against the Catalonians for his first club, Valerenga.
The 30-year old was highly regarded for his technical abilities and had the skill to dictate play from the middle of the park. After a good showing in Norway's youth teams, Singh made his international debut against Thailand.
He would go on to make five appearances in international football, four of them in friendly matches. Singh has donned the colors of Feyenoord, Molde and Midtjylland, to name a few.
#4 Sarpreet Singh
The New Zealand international is one of the more familiar names on our list, as he grabbed headlines for becoming the first Indian-origin footballer to play in the Bundesliga.
Sarpreet Singh made his debut for the 30-time German champions Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 season. He came on as a substitute for Philippe Coutinho in the Bundesliga fixture against Werder Bremen. The 22-year old also became the first New Zealander to play in the Bundesliga since Wynton Rufer in 1989.
In his relatively young international career, Singh has made six appearances for the Kiwis, scoring his first international goal against Kenya in a 2-1 defeat. The attacking midfielder faced off against the Indian national team in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup.
The 22-year old assisted both goals in New Zealand's 2-1 win over the Blue Tigers. Singh is currently on loan at 2. Bundesliga side Jahn Regensburg.