Rourkela, February 12
Hailing from an army background, it's no surprise that discipline, consistency and hard work have been the core elements of shaping Manmeet Singh's journey ever since his father, who played hockey in the Army team, began to teach him how to play hockey at the age of 11.
At 20, the midfielder has now made his senior debut for India, representing his team against Belgium at the FIH Men's Pro League 2025-26 in Rourkela on Thursday, according to a release.
The youngster came into the limelight courtesy his performances at the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 in Tamil Nadu, where he finished as the top scorer for his team, scoring six goals and helping India secure a Bronze medal.
His notable performances in the last two editions of the Men's Hero Hockey India League (HIL) also caught the eye, eventually earning him his place in India's 24-member squad for the Rourkela leg of the ongoing FIH Men's Pro League 2025-26, it added.
Reflecting on his maiden senior appearance for the country, Manmeet said, "Knowing that I'm representing India and wearing the blue jersey motivates me. It's a feeling of great pride. It was the same when I played at the Junior World Cup, but the only difference now is that I have more responsibilities while being part of the senior team. The support from the senior players is always there, which is great for us young players."
Having been part of the senior camp ahead of the tournament, the midfielder from Punjab is constantly striving to find ways to improve his game. With an eye for goal and a vision for a killer pass, complimented by his attacking intent, Manmeet credited the learnings from the Junior World Cup and the impact of his coaches at the tournament -- PR Sreejesh and Birendra Lakra.
"For me personally, they emphasized on the importance of playing forward as much as possible. As a midfielder, you have to lead the team in many ways, whether it is by assisting goals or remaining strong defensively. The coaches always kept the team motivated, and also shared their experiences to help us tactically. My focus has been on carrying the same learnings with the senior team as well," as per the release.
Manmeet was part of HIL GC in the recently concluded Men's Hero Hockey India League, playing alongside experienced players like Hardik Singh and Kane Russell. He highlighted the importance of the tournament, not only for the opportunity it provides to rub shoulders with the best players in the world, but also the platform it offers to help youngsters make their mark, the release added.
"It's a great platform for us. Before the HIL, the players coming into the national camp and setup would come straight from the state teams. Now, this tournament gives us an opportunity to showcase ourselves. Everyone is always watching the matches, including the coaches. So, if you play well, you will get called up to the national camp," as per the release.
Further elaborating on his learnings from the tournament, Manmeet highlighted, "You get to learn from the seniors. You learn how to play under pressure, how to control the ball, and how to do pre-scanning. Even from the foreign players, you can see how they get ready for their matches and how they maintain their mindset."
From doing well in the Junior World Cup last year to now making his senior debut for India, it's been a rapid rise for the 20-year-old. However, Manmeet insists that this is only the first step in fulfilling his lifelong dream of winning a medal for India at the Olympics, it said.
"My mindset is focused on working on my game as much as possible, to improve on areas where there might be some shortcomings and eventually represent India at the Olympics to win a medal. That's the dream", he concluded.
- ANI
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