20-year-old Manmeet Singh made his senior debut against Belgium in the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 in Rourkela
Rourkela, February 12, 2026: Coming from an army background, it is no surprise that discipline, consistency and hard work have been the core elements of shaping Manmeet Singh’s journey since his father – who played hockey in the army team – started teaching him to play hockey at the age of 11. At the age of 20, the midfielder has now made his senior debut for India and will represent his team against Belgium in the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 in Rourkela on Thursday.
The youngster came into limelight thanks to his performances at the 2025 FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu, where he finished as the top scorer for his team, scoring six goals and helping India secure a bronze medal. His remarkable performances in the last two editions of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) also grabbed attention and ultimately earned him his place in India’s 24-man squad for the Rourkela leg of the ongoing FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26.
Reflecting on his first senior appearance for the country, Manmeet said, “It motivates me to know that I am representing India and wearing the blue jersey. It is a feeling of great pride. It was the same when I played in 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 seniors is always there, which is great for us young players.”
Having been part of the senior camp ahead of the tournament, the Punjab midfielder constantly strives to find ways to improve his game. With an eye for goal and a vision for a great pass, complemented by his attacking intentions, Manmeet credited the lessons of the Junior World Cup and the impact of his coaches on the tournament: PR Sreejesh and Birendra Lakra.
“For me personally, they emphasized how important it is to play forward as much as possible. As a midfielder you have to lead the team in many ways, whether that is by providing assists on goals or staying strong defensively. The coaches always kept the team motivated and also shared their experiences to help us tactically. My focus was on passing on the same lessons to the senior team as well.”
Manmeet was part of HIL GC in the recently concluded Men’s Hero Hockey India League and played alongside experienced players like Hardik Singh and Kane Russell. He emphasized the importance of the tournament, not only for the opportunity it provides to work with the best players in the world, but also for the platform it provides to help young people make their mark.
“It’s a great platform for us. Before HIL, the players who came to the national camp and the line-up came directly from the state teams. Now this tournament gives us a chance to showcase ourselves. Everyone always watches the matches, including the coaches. So if you play well, you get called up for the national camp.”
Elaborating on his lessons from the tournament, Manmeet emphasized, “You learn from the seniors. You learn how to play under pressure, how to control the ball and how to scan beforehand. Even from the foreign players you can see how they prepare for their matches and how they maintain their mentality.”
From a good performance at the Junior World Cup last year to now making his senior debut for India, it has been a meteoric rise for the 20-year-old. However, Manmeet insists that this is just the first step in fulfilling his lifelong dream of winning a medal for India at the Olympics.
“My mentality is to work on my game as much as possible, to improve areas where there may be some shortcomings and ultimately represent India at the Olympics to win a medal. That is the dream,” he concluded.
All India matches of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025-26 Rourkela match will be telecast on Star Sports Khel and JioHotstar.