Rising football star Sarpreet Singh, currently playing for European club Bayern Munich of Germany, is one of the most deserving candidates for The Indian Weekender’s Kiwi Indian Young Achiever Award 2019.
Nineteen-year-old Sarpreet’s meteoric rise from Wellington Phoenix to Bayern Munich is a testament of his hard work and excellence in his skill that puts him on top of the list for the Young Achiever Award.
Born in Auckland, Sarpreet grew up in Manukau playing football from the age of five and later played for Onehunga Sports. He represented Auckland at the Australian National Futsal Championships, winning the most valuable player award and attracting interest from Premier League side Everton.
He moved to Wellington Phoenix Soccer School at the age of 16 and later contracted to join Wellington Phoenix club after playing one and a half years at the school.
He got his first taste of senior football as a substitute in an A-League game against Melbourne City in February 2017.
He earned his first senior New Zealand cap, in March 2018, and got his first international goal against India, playing in India where he was immensely popular amongst youngsters.
In June this year, he became the first player of Indian descent and the first from New Zealand to be contracted by the famous European club Bayern Munich of Germany to play in Europe.
Sarpreet Singh’s transfer from Wellington Phoenix to Bayern Munich is arguably the biggest in the history of New Zealand football.
Sarpreet had just made five appearances in the pre-season campaign for Bayern Munich in July 2019 and will be playing as a fully-fledged member of the first team in the upcoming season.
Originally signed for Bayern Munich II, Sarpreet has been training predominantly with the first team since its arrival on a three-year deal- and has played at the International Champions Cup and Audi Cup in the pre-season campaign.
In an interview with The Indian Weekender earlier last year, Sarpreet shared his dream of playing in a European Club someday and considered Christiano Ronaldo as his idol in the game.
Sarpreet’s hard-work has landed him in an international platform where someday soon he might face his idol on the fields.
It is this spirit of pursuing dreams, and fulfilling some of those while one is young, and inspire others while they do that, that The Indian Weekender admires through the Young Achiever Award.
For making his Indian community proud and bringing the Kiwi-Indian roots on a global platform is what has made Kiwi-Indian footballer Sarpreet Singh, The Indian Weekender’s choice for Young Achiever Award 2019.