Jarnail Singh (footballer)

Jarnail Singh Dhillon was a former Indian football player, who played as a centre-back.

When he was in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad in Pakistan) in 1948, the place was BurNIng due to political madness, and many of his family members were killed.

He escaped from that situation and traveled to Amritsar by truck cramped with at least 50 other men, women and children.

After representing the football team of Khalsa College of Mahipalpur from 1952 to 1956, Singh began his senior club career in 1956 at Khalsa Sporting Club of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab.

With the club, he appeared in DCM Trophy.

He then captained Punjab University football team before arriving in Calcutta.

In 1958, he went on to play for Rajasthan Club, nicknamed "giant killers" in Kolkata Maidan.

Darshan Singh, who played for Rajasthan at that time, helped Singh to complete his transfer.

It was very difficult to get past him in a one on one situation.

He was a tough player at nearly six feet.

Singh also represented Bengal at the Santosh Trophy and won it in 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, and 1969–70, before appearing with Punjab in the same competition.

He was brought in Calcutta giants Mohun Bagan by then head coach Arun Sinha, and signed for the club in 1959.

He joined the national team during India's Afghanistan tour in 1959 but not appeared in matches.

He also competed in the men's tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Considered as one of Asia's best defenders in the 1960s, he spent most of his career in Mohun Bagan.

He played in 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and played against some notable players like Flórián Albert of Hungary.

He was prominent in the defense as India was narrowly defeated by Hungary by 2–1, and drew 1–1 with mighty France.

He then appeared in 1961 Merdeka Cup in Malaysia under coaching of Sailen Manna.

Later in the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, Singh won the gold medal with India.

In the final, Rahim showcased his brilliance, deploying injured Singh as centre forward.

According to P. K. Banerjee, Jarnail used to play as a centre-forward in his college days and Rahim's research helped the team surprise the opponent, a 2–1 victory over South Korea.

He was given the Arjuna Award in 1964 for his achievements as a football player.

In 1964 Merdeka Cup, he was part of Indian team that finished runners-up.

In the same year, he went on to play for his country at the 1964 AFC Asian Cup, where they also finished as runners-up as Israel won the trophy.

He was the captain of the India national football team from 1965 to 1967.

He also captained the team from 1965 to 1967.

From 1965 to 1967, he captained the national team.

He then represented the team for ten long years until 1968.

His performance against East Bengal in a match of the Kolkata Derby in 1968, was highly praised by one of India's oldest newspaper Amrita Bazar Patrika.

With "the mariners", he formed an incredible partnership with Chuni Goswami, brought several laurels for the century-old club by winning the Calcutta Football League six times, IFA Shield and Durand Cup four times.

Singh was also part of the Mohun Bagan team that toured to East Africa and played matches in Uganda, Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanganyika.

Singh took charge of India and managed the team in 1969 Merdeka Cup, and 1970 Singapore Friendship Tournament.

He also won the 1970–71 Santosh Trophy with Punjab in Jalandhar, defeating Mysore.

Singh represented India under management of the coach Syed Abdul Rahim, during the "Golden age" of Indian football.

Under his coaching, Punjab won title in 1974–75.

In the final of that edition, his team thrashed Bengal 6–0.

Inder Singh emerged as top scorer of the tournament with 23 goals which is still a record, and Punjab also finished having scored 46 goals.

Singh was a victim of the Partition of India.

He again managed India at Jasson Cup in Afghanistan in 1976.

He became coach of the Punjab football team in Santosh Trophy and managed players like Inder Singh, Sukhwinder Singh and others.