When it comes to Indian football, there is one name on everyone’s lips: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The 27-year-old goalkeeper has been a mainstay for the Indian national team for the past few years and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the country.
Story of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
But Sandhu’s journey to the top has been anything but easy. He had to leave his home in India at the age of 18 to join Norwegian club Stabæk, where he spent four years honing his craft. After a brief stint back in India with Bengaluru FC, Sandhu returned to Europe, joining Norwegian club Viking FK in 2016.
Since then, Sandhu has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Norway. He was even named the Norwegian Footballer of the Year in 2018, becoming the first Indian player to win the award.
Now, Sandhu is being hailed as a trailblazer for Indian football and is tipped to lead the national team to glory in the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Early Life and Career
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was born on February 3, 1992, in Chandigarh, India. Growing up, he was passionate about football and idolized Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos. At the age of 18, he left India to join Norwegian club Stabæk’s youth academy.
Sandhu spent four years at Stabæk, honing his skills under the tutelage of former Manchester United goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw. In 2012, he made his senior debut for Stabæk in a Europa League match against Finnish club HJK Helsinki.
The following year, Sandhu returned to India to join Bengaluru FC. He helped Bengaluru FC win the I-League title in 2014-15 and also played a pivotal role in their run to the final of the AFC Cup in 2016.
In 2016, Sandhu returned to Europe when he joined Norwegian club Viking FK. He quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Norway and helped Viking FK win the Norwegian Football Cup in 2019.
International Career
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made his international debut for India in 2015 and has since gone on to make over 30 appearances for his country. He was a member of India’s squad for both the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup campaigns.
Conclusion:
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is an Indian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Norwegian club Viking FK and captains the Indian national team. Born in Chandigarh, he began his career with Stabæk before returning to India to play for Bengaluru FC. In 2016, he rejoined Stabæk before moving to Viking FK two years later.
He has won several accolades throughout his career including the I-League title with Bengaluru FC, Norwegian Footballer of the Year, and Norwegian Football Cup with Viking FK. He is widely regarded as one of India’s best ever players and is tipped to lead them to glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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