Dheeraj Singh
Singh with Goa at the 2021 AFC Champions League
Personal information
Full name Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem
Date of birth (2000-07-04) 4 July 2000
Place of birth Moirang, Manipur, India
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Goa
Number 1
Youth career
AIFF Elite Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Indian Arrows 6 (0)
2018–2019 Kerala Blasters 13 (0)
2019–2020 ATK 1 (0)
2020–2021 ATK Mohun Bagan 0 (0)
2021– Goa 24 (0)
International career‡
2015–2017 India U17 18 (0)
2019– India U23 6 (0)
Medal record
Representing  India
SAFF Championship
Winner 2021 Maldives
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:54, 25 February 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 October 2021

Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem (born 4 July 2000), is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Goa in the Indian Super League.[2] He gained fame for his performance at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[3]

Club career

Early life and career

Born in Manipur, Dheeraj was part of the AIFF Elite Academy batch that was preparing for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be hosted in India.[4] After the tournament, Singh was selected to play for the Indian Arrows, an All India Football Federation-owned team that would consist of India under-20 players to give them playing time.[5] He made his professional debut for the side in the Arrow's first match of the season against Chennai City. He started and kept the clean sheet as Indian Arrows won 3–0.[6] On 31 December 2017 he ended his contract with the AIFF to attend trials in Europe, beginning with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.[7]

Kerala Blasters

Dheeraj represented Kerala Blasters in the 2018–19 Indian Super League season.[8] He was the first choice goalkeeper for the club. Dheeraj played his first match for the club on 29 September 2018 in the opening fixture of the 2018-19 Indian Super League season against ATK which ended 0-2 to the Blasters.[9] He played 13 league matches and one Super Cup match with the club.[10] He pulled off some miraculous saves earning praises from different managers. His stunning performance in the season for Blasters earned him place in the India U23 National Team.[11]

ATK

After an impressive season for Kerala Blasters, Dheeraj signed for Indian Super League side ATK for the 2019-20 season.[12] He played just one match for ATK throughout the campaign as he was charted on the lineup on 22 February 2020 for the match against Bengaluru FC which ended in 2-2 draw.[13] He has also signed a football sponsorship deal with PUMA.

ATK Mohun Bagan

After the merger of ATK with Mohun Bagan, Dheeraj signed for ATK Mohun Bagan for the 2020-21 Indian Super League Season.[14] But made no appearance.

Goa

2020-21: Champions League Debut

On 15 January 2021, it was announced that Dheeraj has signed a three year deal with Goa.[15] He made his debut for Goa on 29 January against SC East Bengal in a 1-1 draw where he saved a penalty from Anthony Pilkington.[16] He made nine appearances and kept his first clean-sheet in the last league game against Hyderabad FC in a goalless draw.[17] He played in both legs of the semi-final against Mumbai City FC the first leg ended in a 2-2 draw and the second ended in a goalless draw. Singh was substituted before the shootout for Naveen Kumar as Goa lost 6-5 on penalties.[18] He managed to keep two cleansheets in nine appearances in his first season at Goa.

He was named in AFC Champions League team of matchday for his good performances, against Al-Rayyan on 14 April 2021, where he kept a cleansheet in a 0-0 draw. He again kept a cleansheet in a match against Al Wahda on 17 April in a 0-0 draw.[19] Dheeraj won the man of the match award in a match against Persepolis on 20 April where although his side lost 2-1 but he saved a penalty from Hossein Kanaani.[20] He emerged as the best goalkeeper in the group league round of the AFC Champions League even though his side failed to advance to the knockouts in its maiden appearance. He made a whopping 26 saves in five matches to top the goalkeeping chart of the West Zone group league stage. "Dheeraj Singh certainly made a name for himself on his continental debut, pulling off a tournament-leading 26 saves in just five games, among them a number of memorable efforts that earned high praise from impressed observers," the AFC said on its website.[21] On November 26 2021, he was named in the AFC Champions League team of the season, the first Indian player to achieve so.[22]

2021-22: Durand Cup Victory

He made two appearances in Goa's 2021 Durand Cup winning campaign.[23] In 2021-22 ISL season, he made fifteen appearances but his sole clean sheet came in a 5-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC with Goa finishing ninth in the league.[24]

2022-23

After not playing a single game at 2022 Durand Cup, he started the season in the first match of 2022-23 ISL in a 2-1 win over East Bengal. He suffered a head injury in the next game against Chennaiyin FC and had to be taken off on the verge of an hour in a 2-0 win and stayed on bench in the next game.[25] He made nineteen appearances and kept four cleansheets as Goa finished seventh in the league failing to qualify for playoffs. He stayed on bench for 2023 Indian Super Cup where Goa got knocked out in group stage.

2023-24

International

India U17

Dheeraj represented the India U17 side that participated in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup which was hosted in India.[26] He was the first choice goalkeeper and played all three group matches that India had. Even though he couldn't keep a clean sheet in any of the World Cup games, he was highly praised by fans and various managers for his technique and skills.[27]

India U23

Even though he could earn a place in the India National U-23 team.[28] Dheeraj was again the first choice goalkeeper for India U23 for the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers. He earned his spot in the team after a brilliant season with the Kerala Blasters in the 2018-19 ISL Season. He made his debut against Qatar U23 in an international friendly preparatory match for the 2019 AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers.[29]

Career statistics

Club

As of 10 August 2023[30]
Club Season League Cup AFC Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Indian Arrows 2017–18 I-League 6000–60
Kerala Blasters 2018–19 Indian Super League 1301[lower-alpha 1]0–140
ATK 2019–20 1000–10
ATK Mohun Bagan 2020–21 0000–00
Goa 2020–21 90005[lower-alpha 2]0140
2021–22 1502[lower-alpha 3]0–170
2022–23 19000–190
2023–24 0000–00
Career total 6303050710
  1. ↑ Appearances in the Super Cup
  2. ↑ Appearances in the AFC Champions League
  3. ↑ Appearances in the Durand Cup

Honours

India

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem profile - Goals, Passes and more". Indian Super League. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Warrier, Sajith B. (16 January 2021). "ISL Transfer Watch: FC Goa rope in Dheeraj Singh on a long-term deal". My Khel. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "ISL: Kerala Blasters sign U-17 World Cup goalkeeping sensation Dheeraj Singh on a permanent deal | FootballNews". www.timesnownews.com. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  4. ↑ Selvaraj, Jonathan (3 October 2017). "How 14,000 became 21: The story of India's history boys". ESPN.in. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Matos Names 25-member Indian Arrows Squad for Hero I-league 2017-18". The All India Football Federation. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Indian Arrows 3-0 Chennai City". Soccerway.
  7. ↑ Selvaraj, Jonathan (31 December 2017). "Dheeraj Singh quits Indian Arrows to pursue opportunities in Europe". espn.com. ESPN. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "Kerala Blasters - Squad 2018/2019". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "ATK v Kerala Blasters Match Report, 29/09/18, Indian Super League | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Dheeraj Singh". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ↑ Marar, Nandakumar. "Dheeraj Singh — preparing in earnest for career breakthrough". Sportstar. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "ATK - Squad 2019/2020". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Bengaluru v ATK Starting XIs, 22/02/20, Indian Super League | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "ATK Mohun Bagan FC - Squad 2020/2021". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  15. ↑ "FC Goa sign Dheeraj as keeper Nawaz stalls on new deal". The Times of India. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  16. ↑ "ISL 2020-21 highlights, FCG vs SCEB: 10-man Goa hangs on for draw against SC East Bengal". Sportstar. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  17. ↑ "ISL: FC Goa hold Hyderabad FC to goalless draw, qualify for semis". 28 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "ISL 2020-21: Mumbai City beats FC Goa 6-5 on penalties to cruise into maiden ISL final". 8 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Barve, Ameya (21 April 2021). "Despite loss, FC Goa celebrate first goal in AFC Champions League". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  20. ↑ IANS (20 April 2021). "ACL: FC Goa on a real high, says rival team Persepolis FC coach". Business Standard India. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  21. ↑ AFC Champions League: FC Goa keeper Dheeraj tops chart The Hindu. 6 May 2021
  22. ↑ "Dheeraj Singh named in AFC Champions League Team of the Tournament". 26 November 2021.
  23. ↑ "Decision after 120 minutes: FC Goa win Durand Cup final". 4 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "ISL, match highlights: FC Goa hammer Chennayin FC 5-0 to keep playoff hopes alive". 10 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "We need to control the game a little better, says Carlos Pena". 21 October 2022.
  26. ↑ "2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup: India announce final 21-member squad | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  27. ↑ Quint, The (7 November 2019). "Remember U-17 Star Dheeraj Singh? He's Made It to the Big Leagues!". TheQuint. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  28. ↑ "U23 Men". All India Football Federation. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  29. ↑ "AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers: India U-23 go down to Qatar in friendly". Sportskeeda. 12 March 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  30. ↑ Dheeraj Singh at Soccerway
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