My target is to improve myself, keep working hard and get a spot in the team – Odisha FC’s goalkeeper Amrinder Singh

Odisha FC’s goalkeeper Amrinder Singh aspires to consistently play for the national team. India is all set to take on Afghanistan twice in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers this month and all eyes will be on Singh.

The goalkeeper has been India’s number two after Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and he will look to deliver the goods for the Blue Tigers. Singh has played a key role in the success of the Kalinga Warriors in the ongoing ISL season, with eight clean sheets, the most for any goalkeeper in the tournament.

Singh said he aims to keep working hard to get a permanent slot in India’s final XI.

“My target is to improve myself, keep working hard and get a spot in the team. Every player dreams of playing for the national team,” said Amrinder about his aspirations for the National team goalkeeping position in an interview with the official website of the ISL.

The custodian first represented Pune FC to kick off his professional career and since then he has taken giant strides in his career. He won the I-League and Federation Cup with Bengaluru FC and also captained Mumbai City FC in the 2020-21 season. Furthermore, Singh played a key role in taking Odisha FC to glory in the Super Cup in the previous season as he won the Golden Glove award.

With Indian football on the rise, Singh reckons parents are now confident that their kids could make a career in football because of the ISL.

“We have grown up playing in narrow lanes from our villages. There is no ball left in my house that I have not kicked and broken something with. Of course, it’s important that you need to work hard when you are young, and gradually explore options and platforms that give you an opportunity to move forward in your career,” Amrinder said.

He added, “As a kid, you don’t think about money. In the end, you have to take care of your family. ISL has helped us improve so much in that factor. When I look at the academy kids in the ISL, all the parents believe that there is a future in football also, and this is a change that means a lot. Most of the parents know that if their kids don’t play cricket, they can play football, and that their future will be safe.”

Odisha FC will next take on Bengaluru FC on 30th March at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.