FC Goa and Indian national team defender Boris Singh reflected on his journey from playing in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 to making his senior national team debut in March.

Singh adapted back to the right-back role during the ISL 2024-25 season, having started the campaign as a right midfielder. He quickly made the position his own, becoming a regular starter for FC Goa.

His defensive awareness, combined with his trademark overlapping runs, added both balance and attacking edge to the Gaurs’ backline.

Head coach Manolo Marquez was instrumental in his transformation, and Singh's consistent performances were rewarded with a well-deserved India call-up. He made his debut as a substitute against the Maldives, before starting and completing the full 90 minutes in the Asian Cup Qualifier against Bangladesh.

"It felt proud and accomplished that I could once again wear the national team jersey, and the senior one for the first time. I am very grateful to the coach for believing in me. I always (try to) give my best for the country when given the opportunity," Singh said in an interview with the-aiff.com.

The Marquez-led FC Goa side finished the campaign on a high note, clinching their second Kalinga Super Cup by beating Jamshedpur FC in the final. The win also secured them a berth in continental competition next season.

Singh spoke about how the title win would serve as motivation to boost his performances in the upcoming two matches for the national team.

"The Super Cup was a much-needed win for the club and for me, personally. It meant a lot to finish the season on a high note. We deserved it. It provided great motivation for me in the national team camp as well," said the FC Goa defender.

Singh is the ninth player from India’s FIFA U-17 World Cup squad to graduate to the senior national team, joining the ranks of Suresh Singh Wangjam, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Anwar Ali, Lalengmawia Ralte, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Rahul KP, Aniket Jadhav, and Rahim Ali.

The 25-year-old looked back on his journey — from the World Cup setup, through the Indian Arrows project, to finally making his mark in the ISL. He considers himself fortunate to have been part of the Indian Arrows program, which played a key role in shaping him into the player he is today.

"The entire journey was special. From preparing for the World Cup until the end of the tournament, it was unbelievable. I feel fortunate that I was one of the few players who got to represent our country at such a big stage. Although the result was not as expected, I believe we did our best, and I hope that one day our country will play in the senior World Cup.

"As a young player initially, you need proper guidance and, most importantly, you need to understand all the fundamentals of playing the beautiful game. I gained a lot through the coaches and my teammates at Indian Arrows. I also got good game time that I needed, and was fortunate to sign for ISL clubs thereupon," Singh commented.