He is without doubt the most popular player in the Indian team. Twenty out of 21 players picked by head coach Luis Norton De Matios voted for Amarjit Singh as skipper. Love for football has taken this 16-year-old Manipuri boy from his home in Thoubal, a small town in the north eastern state to Chandigarh's Football and Hockey Academy. It is this same love for the game that now makes him lead the first Indian team ever to play in a world cup.
Its a dream come true indeed for him and each of his teammates. “My dream of playing in a world cup will come true tomorrow when I play first match against the USA. I urge the fans to support us. We will fight hard, whatever may be the result,” he said on the eve of India's first world cup appearance against a strong American side.
Like most of his teammates—Amarjit's football journey has also been a challenging one. He hails from a poor family—his father tills a very small parcel of land and is a part time carpentar while his mother sells fish to sustain the family of five. The parents make barely enough to feed the family. It's been a journey of ups and downs. “There has been a lot of sacrifice—he has been away from home, family for a long time but to don national colours is also a very big thing. Don't know if we will get an opportunity like this again ever. Our job is to give our best on the pitch tomorrow,” said the mid fielder.
With the world and home media's focus on Indian team as hosts, Amarjit didn't look over awed by the occasion, but is far from it. Coached well by the All India Football Federation's media team, he didn't show any nerves when asked about taking on a much stronger team like the USA. Asked whether players have been discussing among themselves USA's strengths and weaknesses, he shot back, “Discussing opposing players and analysing them is the coach's job, we don't discuss it among ourselves. USA is a good team. It's important our fans to support us as much as possible tomorrow.”
