THE GOAN I PANAJI
India’s wait for a first FIFA World Cup appearance continued as the 2026 tournament ended, but Indian heritage was still represented on football’s biggest stage. Four players with Indian roots featured for New Zealand, Qatar, Australia and DR Congo, reflecting the growing presence of the Indian diaspora in international football despite India’s absence.
Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand)
One of the best-known footballers of Indian origin, New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh returned to the World Cup with the All Whites. Born in Wellington to parents from Jalandhar, Punjab, Singh has long been regarded as one of New Zealand’s most technically gifted midfielders. The 27-year-old first gained global attention when Bayern Munich signed him in 2019 after his performances for Wellington Phoenix. Despite suffering a serious knee injury during his career, Singh fought his way back into the national team and remained an important figure in New Zealand’s midfield at the tournament.
Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid (Qatar)
Qatar winger Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid became one of the youngest players of Indian origin to feature at a FIFA World Cup. Born in Doha in 2006, Tahsin is the son of parents from Kannur, Kerala, who settled in Qatar in the 1990s. A graduate of the renowned Aspire Academy, he developed into one of Qatar’s brightest attacking prospects before breaking into the senior national team. Already the first footballer of Indian origin to play in the Qatar Stars League, the World Cup marked another milestone in his rapidly developing career.
Nishan Velupillay (Australia)
Australia’s squad included Melbourne Victory winger Nishan Velupillay, whose family heritage includes Sri Lankan Tamil and Anglo-Indian roots. Born in Melbourne, the 25-year-old established himself in the A-League before making a dream start to his international career by scoring on his senior debut for the Socceroos during World Cup qualifying. His appearance at the World Cup further cemented his place among the most prominent footballers of South Asian heritage to represent Australia.
Samuel Moutoussamy (DR Congo)
Representing DR Congo was experienced midfielder Samuel Moutoussamy, whose paternal family traces its ancestry to the Tamil community through Indo-Guadeloupean roots. Born in Paris, Moutoussamy chose to represent DR Congo internationally and arrived at the World Cup as one of the team’s senior players, having accumulated more than 50 international appearances. The defensive midfielder, who has played professionally in France, the Netherlands, Turkey and Greece, brought valuable experience to the Congolese side during the tournament.
Although India is still searching for its first FIFA World Cup appearance since qualifying for the 1950 edition but eventually withdrawing, the presence of these four players ensured that Indian heritage remained visible throughout football’s biggest event.
