HighLights
  1. Arshdeep speaks about his ambition to represent the Indian national team.
  2. He discusses the competition for places, the opportunities available to Indian goalkeepers.
  3. Arshdeep also reflected on one of his career's most difficult moments.

Punjab FC goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh Saini has set his sights on earning a senior India call-up, describing it as his biggest personal ambition as he continues to establish himself in Indian football.

In an exclusive conversation with The Daily Jagran (TDJ), the shot-stopper opened up about his journey, career-threatening injury setback, the mental demands of goalkeeping and the lessons he has learned throughout his professional career.

Having represented Odisha FC, FC Goa and Hyderabad FC before joining Punjab FC, Arshdeep has experienced the highs and lows of professional football. However, his determination to represent India remains unchanged.

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"Playing for the national team is a dream for me. I have always said that. I still believe that maybe, not maybe, I will play one day hopefully," Arshdeep told TDJ.

The goalkeeper also identified consistency as the biggest factor that could help him earn the opportunity. He believes that making fewer mistakes and giving coaches confidence in his performances will be crucial to taking the next step.

"For me, I think if I play consistently at the same level, I will reach there one day," he added.

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Arshdeep also reflected on one of the most difficult moments of his career, when he suffered multiple facial fractures following a collision with CK Vineeth in 2019 and was admitted to the ICU.

Although the incident was painful, the Punjab FC goalkeeper revealed that he never doubted his ability to return to professional football.

"The recovery was very smooth because the nose, you know, it recovers very quickly. I never doubted that I would struggle coming back to professional football. I always believed in myself," he said.

"Football is the only thing I know. It's the only thing for me; there's no Plan B. Football is everything to me."

Arshdeep On The Mental Challenge Of Goalkeeping

Goalkeeping is a position where one mistake can change the outcome of a match. Arshdeep admitted that he initially struggled to deal with criticism and mistakes but has gradually learned to move on quickly.

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"What makes you a good goalkeeper is how you react to mistakes, how you get better and make sure you never repeat them. Even if you do, you just get on with it. You cannot put your head down," he explained.

He also recalled advice from former FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez that changed his approach towards the game. After an impressive run of seven clean sheets in 12-13 matches, Arshdeep endured two difficult games and subsequently lost his place in the team.

The goalkeeper later spoke to Marquez to understand the decision and learn from the experience.

"He told me that as a goalkeeper, you are going to make mistakes. This is your life. But you cannot come to training with your head down the next day and keep training like that for the whole season," Arshdeep recalled.

He added that the conversation changed his mindset and helped him become mentally stronger. According to the goalkeeper, nearly 70 per cent of the game for a shot-stopper is mental.

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Arshdeep On Opportunities For Indian Goalkeepers In ISL

Arshdeep believes Indian goalkeepers are receiving better opportunities in the Indian Super League than they did in the past. He pointed to the consistent performances of established Indian shot-stoppers as evidence of the progress being made.

He also highlighted that experience plays a significant role in developing a goalkeeper.

"The more you play, the better you get. It helped me, the matches I played. I've made a lot of mistakes in many matches. But the thing is, as a goalkeeper, you cannot put your head down," he said.

Arshdeep further explained that defending cannot be the responsibility of just the backline, as the entire team must contribute to both attacking and defensive phases.

"We defend as a group and we attack as a group. It's not about only defenders. It's about the whole team, all 11 players," he explained.

For Arshdeep, the immediate objective is to keep improving, deliver consistent performances and eventually fulfil his dream of representing the senior Indian national team.


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