Punjab FC have swiftly established themselves as one of the emerging forces in Indian football, building a strong pathway from grassroots development to the senior team.
With an increasing focus on nurturing young talent and providing players with opportunities to represent the national team, the club's ambitions extend beyond domestic success.
Ahead of the ongoing 2027 Indian Super League (ISL) season, Punjab FC goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh spoke exclusively to The Daily Jagran about the club's growth, his return to his home club, ambitions for the upcoming games and the importance of the supporters in their journey.
Having returned to the club where his professional journey began, Arshdeep considers representing Punjab FC a matter of pride rather than pressure. For the goalkeeper, the opportunity to play for his hometown club and represent his people makes the experience particularly special.
"Playing for Punjab, it's an honour to play for my hometown and home club. I always feel very lucky, and I'm glad that after so many years, we have a club in Punjab and I can play in front of my own people. I can represent my own people. So, there is no pressure. There is just pride. Immense pride," he said.
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Punjab FC's Vision Goes Beyond Winning The ISL
While winning silverware remains an important ambition, Arshdeep believes Punjab FC's bigger vision is centred around developing Indian footballers and helping them reach the international stage.
The shotstopper highlighted the club's progress across different age groups, pointing to its grassroots structure and growing contribution to the national team as evidence of the work being done behind the scenes.
"I think Punjab FC is getting there. If you see from the grassroots level to the senior level, every year we are getting better. And there is a lot of effort being put into getting players into the national team. You can see the results. Eight players are in the national team right now," Arshdeep explained.
"It's not only about winning the ISL. The main focus is to get India to the world level, and I think they are doing their job very well," he added.
Arshdeep also acknowledged that establishing Punjab FC among India's leading clubs is already a work in progress. However, he believes lifting a major trophy would be the ultimate achievement and a fitting reward for the club's development.
Arshdeep Singh Targets Top-Three Finish With Punjab FC
Turning his attention to the upcoming ISL campaign, the goalkeeper has set his sights on helping Punjab FC finish among the top teams. Confident about the quality within the squad, he believes the combination of young and experienced players could make a significant difference.
"Of course, my personal goal is to help my team get to the top. Hopefully, we will win the trophy. I'm not being arrogant, but I think we have a great batch of players right now. It's a mix of junior and experienced players, and I think we can get into at least the top three or four this time," he said.
'We Are There Because Of Our Fans': Arshdeep's Message To Supporters
Arshdeep also reserved special praise for Punjab FC's supporters, acknowledging their passionate backing despite relatively smaller crowds at the stadium.
The goal revealed that the encouragement he receives personally through social media messages, comments, and pre-match texts motivates the players to give their best on the pitch.
"The message is that we are there because we are there for our fans only. We want more people to come because we know we have a lot of supporters. Maybe they don't come to the stadiums, but the crowd that comes is very loud. We can hear them from the stands, and we love them," he said.
Speaking about his personal interactions with supporters, Arshdeep concluded, "I've personally met a few of them, and they are very supportive. They comment on every post and text me before matches. Even if we are fewer in number, these things inspire us to do better. We are really fortunate to have people like them supporting us and cheering for us. It means a lot to us."