Manpreet Singh Becomes India's Most-Capped Hockey Player With 413th Appearance
In a historic milestone reported from Hyderabad, veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh became India's most-capped hockey player after making his 413th international appearance on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The landmark achievement occurred during India's FIH Hockey Pro League 2025/26 match against Germany in Rotterdam.
Manpreet surpassed the long-standing record of 412 international appearances previously held by Dilip Tirkey, who now serves as the Hockey India President. In recognition of this monumental milestone, Hockey India announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for the star playmaker.
With his 413th cap, the 33-year-old midfielder has entered an exclusive global club. He now sits fifth on the all-time list of men's international hockey caps. He trails only Belgium's John-John Dohmen (481), the Netherlands' Teun de Nooijer (453), Australia's Eddie Ockenden (451), and Great Britain's Barry Middleton (432). Manpreet is positioned ahead of other legendary players, including Pakistan's Waseem Ahmed (410) and the Netherlands' Jeroen Delmee (401).
Remarkably, Manpreet is currently the only active player in world hockey with over 400 international caps. This highlights his extraordinary longevity and sustained excellence over a career spanning a decade and a half.
Hailing from Mithapur, Jalandhar, Manpreet made his senior debut as a 19-year-old in 2011. Since then, he has been a central figure in the resurgence of the national team on the world stage.
His career highlights include captaining India to a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, followed by another bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He also played crucial roles in India's gold-medal campaigns at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games, Asia Cup triumphs in 2017 and 2025, and multiple Asian Champions Trophy titles.
Prior to this achievement, Manpreet was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2018 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021 for his exceptional contributions to Indian hockey.
