*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:27, 11 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:00, 13 January 2024 (UTC)
Manvir Singh was born in Duhre (Duhra) village of
Sangrur district of Punjab to his father Kuldip Singh. He has one sibling, a brother named Harkamal Singh. Manvir was inspired by his footballer father to take up the football. His father used to play in Punjab for
JCT FC and represented Punjab in
Santosh Trophy, but could not fulfill his dream of playing for the national team after he lost his arm in an accident and became wheelchair bound for life. Monvir took up the football and fulfilled his father's dream to play for India's national team.[2]
On 28 July 2017, it was announced that Manvir had signed a contract with Indian Super League club
FC Goa.[12] He made his debut for the club in the
2017–18 Indian Super League season as a substitute for
Manuel Lanzarote against
Chennaiyin FC on 19 November 2017, which they won 2–3.[13] He ended his 2017–18 ISL season goalless.[14] Manvir played his first match of the
2018–19 Indian Super League season on 1 October 2018 in a 2–2 draw against
NorthEast United FC, where he started as a substitute for
Mandar Rao Desai.[15] He scored his debut goal on 11 November in the match against
Kerala Blasters FC, where he scored the last goal for Goa, as they won the match 1–3 at full-time.[16] Goa had a standout season once again, and went on to qualify for the
2019 Indian Super League Final.[17] Manvir started as a substitute for
Jackichand Singh in the final against
Bengaluru FC on 17 March 2019, which they lost 0–1 at extra-time, after Bengaluru found their vital goal in the last moments of the game.[18][19] Manvir netted his first of the
2019–20 Indian Super League season on 1 November 2019 against NorthEast United, where he scored the equalizing goal in the injury time, that resulted in the match going to a 2–2 draw.[20] He scored his second of the season against
Hyderabad FC on 8 December, where he scored the only goal by coming in as a substitute for
Seiminlen Doungel, as the match ended 0–1 to Goa.[21] Manvir started as a substitute for Seiminlen Doungel in the match against
Jamshedpur FC on 19 February 2020, which they won 0–5.[22] This match was the last match of FC Goa before knockout stages, and they were awarded with ISL League Winners Shield for finishing as table toppers of the season.[23] Thus, Manvir won his first club silverware with FC Goa on a historic event. Goa qualified for the
knockout stages of the ISL once again and met Chennaiyin on both legs. Manvir started in the first leg as a lineup starter,[24] and started in the second leg as a substitute.[25] Both legs of the semi-final were high scoring matches, and FC Goa was knocked out by Chennaiyin by an aggregate score of 6–5.[26] He was also a part of the FC Goa team that won the
2019 Indian Super Cup.[27] After the 2019–20 ISL season, Manvir left FC Goa after a three-year stay for
Mohun Bagan Super Giant.[28]
Mohun Bagan: 2020–present
2020–21 ISL season
On 25 August 2020, it was announced that
Mohun Bagan Super Giant had secured Manvir Singh under a three-year contract.[29] After negotiating a transfer fee with
FC Goa, it was declared by the
Gaurs as their biggest transfer fee received by the club for a player till the date.[30] His transfer fee closed by Mohun Bagan Super Giant is the third highest fee paid for an Indian player by any club in the history of Indian football.[31] He made his debut for the club in the opening match of the
2020–21 Indian Super League season against Kerala Blasters on 20 November 2020, which ended 0–1 to Mohun Bagan Super Giant.[32] He scored his debut goal for the club against fierce rivals
SC East Bengal on 27 November, which they won 0–2 at full-time.[33] Manvir found the net again on 11 December in the match against Hyderabad, which concluded in a 1–1 draw.[34] He scored a brace against
Odisha FC on 6 February 2021, where he opened the score-sheet, and also found the net when the match was in the event of deadlock, that resulted in a 1–4 victory for MBSG.[35] Manvir scored his fifth goal of the season on 22 February against Hyderabad in the second match against them that season, which ended in a 2–2 draw, after he restored the draw in the beginning.[36] After Mohun Bagan Super Giant qualified for the
playoffs and met NorthEast United in both legs, Manvir scored in the second leg against them on 9 March, which ended 2–1 to Mohun Bagan Super Giant.[37] His goal was a vital goal that helped MBSG to progress through to the
final of the 2020–21 ISL season,[38] after an aggregate win of 3–2 from both legs.[39] Manvir started in the final against
Mumbai City FC on 13 March 2021,[40] which they lost 2–1 after Mumbai City found their all important goal in the last minute of the match.[41]
International career
Manvir represented
India U23, when he was called up to squad for the
2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers.[42] He played all three group stage matches for India against
Syria,[43]Qatar,[44] and
Turkmenistan respectively.[45] He scored his debut goal for the under-23 team in the match against Turkmenistan on 23 July 2017, where he scored the equalizing goal, as India made a comeback and defeat them with a score of 3–1.[46][47] Manvir made a total of 3 appearances for the under-23 team, and was called-up for the
senior national team along with many under-23 players by
Stephen Constantine.[48]
After the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers, Manvir was called-up for the senior team for the
2017 Hero Tri-Nation Series, and made his debut against
Mauritius in the opening match on 19 August 2017, which ended 2–1 to India.[49] He was then selected for the squad to compete in the
2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.[50] A year later, Manvir was called-up for the squad to travel to
Bangladesh for the
2018 SAFF Championship.[51] He found his senior national debut goal in the competition against
Maldives on 9 September 2018, where he scored the second goal and sealed the game 2–0 for India.[52] India qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament, and played against arch-rivals
Pakistan on 12 September,[53] where Manvir scored a brace and helped India to progress through to final with the score of 3–1.[54] India announced their
squad for the
2019 King's Cup, where Manvir was included.[55] He played only one match in the tournament, and that was against
Thailand as a substitute for
Balwant Singh on 8 June 2019, which ended in a 0–1 victory for India.[56] Manvir was called-up for the senior squad to take part in the
2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, after his good form at FC Goa.[57][58] He played his first qualifier match against
Oman as a substitute for
Ashique Kuruniyan on 5 September 2019, which ended in 1–2 defeat for India.[59] He also appeared in the match against
Qatar on 10 September, where India put on an excellent show, as they drew the continental champions 0–0 at full-time.[60] Manvir found the net again in the friendly match against Oman on 25 March 2021,[61] where he scored the equalizing goal, as it helped India to draw the match 1–1 after a strong second-half show.[62]
On 16 November 2023, Manvir scored India's only goal as India made history with the first ever competitive win against any Middle Eastern host, beating host
Kuwait 1–0 at the
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.[63]
Style of play
Manvir is a forward.[64] He is a skillful player, who likes to hold the ball and make use of the strength to hold off the opposition.[65] His former coach at Mohun Bagan,
Antonio Habas, used him as a substitute player in beginning of the 2020–21 ISL season, who later deployed 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formation to suit Manvir, after making a comment on the impact Manvir had on the pitch.[66][67]
Personal life
Manvir was born in
Duhre,
Punjab in
India on 6 November 1995.[68][69] He went to Khalsa College before joining the Minerva Academy.[70] His father Kuldip Singh played professional football,[71] and had represented
JCT FC, and had also took part in the
Santosh Trophy for
Punjab.[72] Manvir has one sibling named Harkamal Singh.[73]