NEW DELHI: India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has spoken about the mental challenges that come with playing between the posts, saying the position carries immense responsibility because one mistake can change the outcome of a match or even a major tournament.He admitted that learning to handle that pressure was something he had to figure out on his own over time.“Being a goalkeeper comes with a different kind of pressure. If you make a mistake, it can cost your team a result, a trophy, or even a nation an important moment. Early in my career, nobody really taught me how to deal with that mental burden. It was something I had to learn through experience,” said Zee5’s football expert Gurpreet. Gurpreet praised Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, saying his ability to stay patient and seize opportunities makes him special.“What separates Emiliano is his mentality. He went through difficult years without regular opportunities but remained resilient. When his chance came, he made the most of it and played a huge role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph,” Gurpreet noted.Looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Indian captain believes defending champions Argentina will be among the favourites, along with France, Spain, Portugal and Germany. At the same time, he hopes Asian teams can continue making progress on the world stage.“It’s still early to make firm predictions, but Argentina have a great chance of defending their title. France, Spain, Portugal and Germany will also be among the favourites, but I am hoping that an Asian team reaches the last eight of this World Cup. Being part of the Asian football ecosystem, it is important that teams from the continent continue to rise, compete at the highest level and make a bigger impact on the global stage,” he said.
