Meet Gurpreet Singh, The First Indian Football Player To Play For The First Team Of A Top Division European Club

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is the Indian football goalkeeper who currently plays for a top division football club, Stabaek, in Norway, Europe. Sandhu is only the fifth Indian player to play professionally in Europe after Mohammed Salim, Baichung Bhutia, Sunil Chettri and Subrata Paul. He is also the only Indian player to start for a top division club in a major league in Europe.

© Facebook

Sandhu was born and brought up in Mohali, Punjab and never considered playing football professionally. “Frankly before I joined East Bengal in 2009 I never thought about making a career out of it. Back when I was young and without a club, all the pieces of my future career started falling in the right places and all I had to do was trust my instincts and do what I thought would be best. It’s better to believe in what you are doing instead of doubting it because such a mindset takes you to places where you’ve never been.”

Reminiscing his growing-up days in Mohali, which he dearly misses now, Gurpreet says, “I remember training every single morning and evening with my academy, attending school between those sessions, and yet have the energy to come back home and fool around with my cousins and sister”.

© Facebook

Sandhu knows that luck has played a big part in his career because his accession from St. Stephens Academy to East Bengal and then to a top European club is nothing short of spectacular. “It is difficult to play a sport which normally no one does and take it up as a profession but trust me it’s a big coincidence that I turned out to be what I am today”, says Sandhu before he quips, “I didn’t choose the game; the game chose me!”

Aware of his amazing jump to play in a top Europe league, Gurpreet says, “From Academy to East Bengal was a big step but leaving East Bengal and India for Europe was a leap! He is, however, careful of charting his way ahead. “It has been a journey full of ups and downs and I’m glad I had them as they made me a better player and a person. On the other hand, I wish I could have gone to Europe earlier than I did. I have learned a lot till now and there’s still a lot left to do.”

For a football player in India, moving to Europe is definitely considered a huge step forward both in terms of the quality of football and grueling training regimes. “The quality of players, the surface to play, the weather you play in, all these things make a difference and then there are teams who know what they are doing. The players there are well educated in football and have the foundation given to them from the age of 5 or 6 and that is what it takes to become world-class. Personally we need that in India.”

Playing football professionally in India is quite different from cricket where players often get preferential treatment over the football stars. “I have nothing against them, they are big names and they are doing their jobs and how they are treated depends on how the game gets treated in the country; cricket is treated well and football still has a long way to go”. This however doesn’t stop Gurpreet from dreaming of better conditions for the football stars in India. “Hopefully, it will change and the tables will turn around some day.”
Playing in Norway has undoubtedly made Sandhu a better player in the last year and a half and he modestly admits to the same, acknowledging the role of his teammates. “Mande is like a younger brother to me and since last year I have learnt from him and he says that he has learnt many things from me too. Last year I wasn’t better than him because I was a step behind him and now I believe I’m on the same level as he is and it’s just a matter of time before I take a step higher.”

© Facebook

Making a career outside India is not easy and Gurpreet is quick to admit that. “It’s very difficult to keep your head in doing what you are especially when you’re away from your home and your country. There are days when you miss your family a lot and there are days when you think to yourself as to what am I doing so it’s very important to have the support from home to keep going on. I usually go out with lads after the game for dinners to forget about the game or to say, switch off; sometimes I watch sitcoms and play FIFA on the PS.”

Since the inception of ISL, many retired international stars have flocked to India and are taking up interesting jobs in the league to build up talent and improve the quality of football being played in India. “A strong domestic league is always helpful to the national team as it provides quality players.”

© Facebook

But playing in India can never be compared to playing in Europe which is a different experience altogether. “I urge the young ones out there to dream bigger and not just be satisfied with ISL or I-League, they can do better than that outside the country. I want to tell them young ones that believe in yourselves, India has so much talent, don’t let it go waste. You need to work hard and aim to play outside India. Make sure the right people are guiding you make sure they have your best interest and not theirs. If you still have doubts ask me! I will try to advice you the best I can. We need you, India needs you!”



Source: mensxp.com
Photo: © Facebook (Main Image)

loading...