Football gave me everything: Sturm Graz’s Indian-origin star Manprit Sarkaria
When Manprit Sarkaria’s parents decided to leave their home in the northern Indian state of Punjab for a better future for them and their children, their obvious choice for a destination would have been an English-speaking nation – any of Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States or Australia.
Instead, they chose Central Europe and Austria to try and build their new life. However, it is a move that has worked out perfectly for the family and Sarkaria, the winger who plays for SK Sturm Graz in the Austrian Bundesliga and was called up to the Austria national team by manager Ralf Rangnick earlier this year.
It was a well-deserved call-up for Sarkaria who scored a brace in a 2-0 win against Rapid Wien in the Austrian Cup final last season to give Sturm Graz a sixth cup title their history and end 27-time winners Red Bull Salzburg’s four-year monopoly of the competition.
“I cannot put it into words how much that title, my first since turning professional, meant to me. It was a big target for the club and myself to win the competition and it was a great feeling to win it. But I hope it is just a start and more silverware will follow in the future,” Sarkaria said.
Sarkaria had a rocky start to last season and with playing time limited, he had considered looking elsewhere for opportunities. But a conversation with Christian Ilzer, who had also coached him at his former club Austria Wien, during the season convinced him to stay and fight for a place in the starting 11.
“The first half of the season was difficult and I was struggling to make it to the team. I wasn’t at my best, but I worked really hard and I think it all worked out for me in the second half. The coach had a lot of trust in me and I am happy I could pay back with some good performances,” Sarkaria, who turned 27 last month, said.
Born in Vienna, Sarkaria fell in love with the sport after watching the UEFA Euro 2004 final between Greece and Portugal. He went on to play in the streets and cages of the Austrian capital, but it wasn’t until he turned 10 years old that he joined a club to hone his skills.
“As I started playing early, I also found friends for life in football very early. Football has given me everything in my life that I needed,” said Sarkaria, who is also a devout Sikh. “My faith was shaped early too, and it helps me in good and bad times. It’s always a part of me no matter how everything else around me is turning out,” he said.
Sarkaria came through the ranks at his local club Austria Wien made his league, cup and UEFA Europa League group stage debut for the club during the 2017-18 season. He became a regular for the Violets in 2019 before moving to the Graz outfit in 2021 to link up with his former manager Ilzer.
Sarkaria’s most productive season in the Bundesliga followed as he scored a club-leading 13 goals to take the club to a runners-up finish. He was involved in nine goals and nine assists in the league last season as they settled for second place yet again and bagged the top scorer award in their victorious cup campaign.
The winger has made a blistering start to the new season bagging two assists in Graz’s opener against his former club Austria Wien before scoring his first goal against Blau Weiss Linz on August 28. “The feeling at the start of my third season here is great and I’m really looking forward to it,” Sarkaria said.
“Last year we managed to win the cup and we were really close to RB Salzburg. So this year we want to give our best and challenge them again for the league title, even though they are the favourites,” he said. “Personally, I want to get goals and assists, help the team and take the next step as a player,” Sarkaria added.
The fast-paced life of a footballer has denied Sarkaria many chances to visit India these days, but he remains interested in Indian football. “Most of my relatives do not live in India now but I’ve been there a few times and every time I have the chance to fly to India, I enjoy it,” he said.
“I have an interest in Indian football, but I don’t see myself playing there at the moment. However, I wouldn’t rule it out in the future if an exciting offer comes from India,” Sarkaria said. “I know Indian national team captain Sunil Chhetri is 39, so I think I still have some time to play in India,” he joked.
His objective, for the time being, is do his best with his club and earn a call-up to the Austria national team – like he did back in June when he was among the 27 players, alongside Real Madrid’s David Alaba and Inter Milan’s Marko Arnautovic, for the country’s UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Belgium and Sweden.
Though yet to make his international debut, Sarkaria hopes that moment is coming sooner rather than later if he focuses on the job at hand at Sturm Graz. “I just have to keep on working hard with myself, give everything in every training session and every game and hope Rangnick will invite me again to the national team,” he said.
“Then I will have to show him in every practice what I can do on the field. But I am not thinking too much about it. I will just give my best for the club – that’s all I can do and then hopefully I can make my debut for Austria. I am confident that if I keep on working like I have been, it will happen,” Sarkaria said.
Photos: SK Sturm/Sebastian Atzler
