Gurpreet makes history, plays in Europa League

New Delhi, July 1

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s ground-breaking journey through uncharted territory reached the most important milestone as he became the first Indian footballer to play for the first team in the top-flight Europa League.

Standing at a towering 6- feet-4-inches, the Mohali boy started for Norwegian Tippeligaen club Stabaek FC in an Europa League qualifier against Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads FC in an away match in Rhyl, Wales, on Thursday evening. The Europa League is a rung below the UEFA Champions League.

His historic outing was, however, cut short by a hand injury that prompted a change after 28 minutes of play and brought into action Sayouba Mande, the team’s first choice custodian till this match.

“I am proud but also disappointed that it had to end due to an injury. But then it’s part and parcel of the game and we can’t do anything about it,” said the 24-year-old.

The Indian, who has already started his recovery session, is all but ruled out of the second leg. “I will have an x-ray taken in some time and we will see. But I am more or less ruled out of the second-leg game. I am looking forward to the matches ahead, there will be a few play-offs,” he said.

Sandhu, who has been India’s No.1 goalkeeper since Stephen Constantine took over in 2015, has slowly progressed into the starting XI at his club at the expense of the more experienced custodian from Ivory Coast. The goalkeeper, who signed for Stabaek in 2014, made headlines in May when he became the first Indian to start in the first team in a top-division league of Europe. In that match against IK Start in the Norwegian Tippeligaen, he kept a clean sheet in a 5-0 away victory.

Sandhu is the only Indian to play for the first team in a top-division league of Europe. Mohammed Salim, former captain Bhaichung Bhutia and current national skipper Sunil Chhetri have all played abroad, but none of them managed to break into the first team.

Bengal footballer Salim played for Scottish top-tier side Celtic FC in 1936, but he did not feature in the premier division. Bhutia played for England’s third division side Bury FC in 1999-2000 and current national skipper Chhetri played for Sporting Lisbon’s B team in 2012. — PTI