Mohali, October 30, 2025: As the clock ticked into its final minutes on a hot afternoon at the Punjabi University ground in Patiala, Punjab FC were fighting with everything they had. Down a man after a red card against Dalbir FA in the Punjab Super League 2025, every tackle drew cheers from the bench, and every block was celebrated like a goal. And when, at the 84th minute, Jagdish converted the penalty to give PFC the late lead, the players collapsed in joy; exhausted, united, and aware that something had shifted.
“That game changed everything for us,” said midfielder Arshvir Singh, his voice still carrying the emotion of that win. “We were a man down, but we never felt like that. It changed everything for us as a team, knowing we can do it even when the odds were stacked against us.”
That defiant victory reflected the resilience and dominance that have defined Punjab FC’s remarkable campaign in the PSL this season, with the title victory confirmed on Tuesday after Sher-e-Punjab’s draw vs BSF Football Club. What began with a 1–3 setback at home, transformed into a journey that saw an unbeaten run of 12 games and as many clean sheets, with a promise of another as the side heads into the final clash against Namdhari FC next month.
A Season of Hunger and Healing
For head coach Praveen Kumar, this triumph was years in the making. It was a culmination of lessons learned from heartbreak and change.
“It’s just two things: dedication and the hunger to win,” the 28-year gaffer said. “Not just the players, but everyone including the supporting staff. It wasn’t a good performance when we lost by two goals in our opener. But in training, we could see the players wanted to win. We were even training on Diwali day, and the entire staff was there. So… there was a definite hunger to win this time.”
And it showed. The team had narrowly missed out on the title last year, finishing second by four points, but it turned their frustration into fuel. This time, nothing was left to chance.
Punjab FC’s success reflects a project years in the making. When the Punjab Football Association introduced a rule mandating seven local Punjabi players in every team, it forced clubs to rethink how they developed talent. For Punjab FC, it became an opportunity.
“We were champions in the 2022–23 season of the PSL, but we had three Punjabis in the first XI,” Praveen recalled.
“Suddenly, this rule came in, which surprised us all. But our grassroots centres helped a lot. We selected players from there, and if we saw potential, we looked to further nurture them.
“Players like Jagdish (Singh), Satpal (Singh), Naveen (Saini), Harman (Harmanpreet Singh)… slowly, they improved. After that rule, we finished fifth, then second, and now, we’ve won the league. These Punjabi players have improved a lot. This season, we’ve played with nine Punjabi players, which is more than the minimum requirement that the rule mandates!”
Among those, the rise of centre-back Ekmeet Singh, stands out for Praveen.
“He is a 2005-born, and looking at his physique, I was very surprised. I’m here for four years now, and I’ve never seen a player who came here without a club background, and was still so good,” said the coach.
“He is still raw, and obviously, he has never been in proper academies. Our main centre-back, Manav got injured after a few games, which gave him a chance. He took his opportunity with both hands and has been playing ever since. For me, he has been the best defender in the league. From the grassroots centre to becoming the best defender in the league, he has made massive strides.”
Turning Mistakes into Momentum
Following the opening loss to Dalbir FA, the side also dropped points to Railway Coach Factory FC and suffered another defeat to Sher-e-Punjab – all within the first four games. But even in those moments, the belief never wavered.
“When we lost two early and dropped points, we decided we want to go from game to game. Our focus was just on being the best team in the next game. It kept working, and it was pretty late when we finally started noticing that it was becoming a streak… probably after the eighth or ninth match,” Praveen said.
Jagdish, the left-back, felt the same shift. “I think we just needed time to figure out the combination,”the Moga-native quipped. “Once we did, it all worked out for us. The teamwork has been top-notch throughout the campaign. Since the past five or six matches, we started feeling like we couldn’t lose.”
‘Seniors’ leading the charge
The success was powered not just by individual brilliance but by the seamless blend of youthful energy and growing maturity within the squad. It’s this quiet evolution, coach Praveen candidly admits, that forms the foundation of Punjab FC’s future.
“Our team is the youngest in the league, so I count Sukhwinder (Singh), Jagdish (Singh), and Naveen (Saini) among the seniors because they have been here for quite some time. They showed their experience. In a couple of years, they can be part of the first team as well,” said the coach.
“The coach played a key role. After the loss in the first match, he made some changes. I didn’t play the first two games, and then I was slotted into the team,” Satpal Singh, who came into the XI after the opening-day defeat, echoed that collective effort.
“Our physio (Madhav Katara) made sure we stayed away from injury, which helped us maintain that streak.”
And for Bishu Sharma, the Eritrea-born central midfielder who moved to India after playing academy football in the East African country, the season was about channelling pain into purpose.
“We definitely felt a bit unpleasant about losing at home,” he said. “But we also realized we have 18 games and one game can’t define our season. When we won the next game, we got the confidence and from there on, we kept on going.
“The clarity came when we were second after nine games. We were not conceding goals, we were playing good football and we were confident as a team.”
The Wall at the Back
Behind the unbreakable line of defence stood a goalkeeper in inspired form.
Naveen Saini has 12 clean sheets in the season, a record in the Punjab Super League. Interestingly, it was the exact target given to him by Guiseppe Cristaldi, the technical director at PFC, before the start of the season.
“The most important thing that I focussed on were the long balls,” Naveen explained as he reflected on the season.
“Most of the Punjab players are tall, and physically well-built. I know if there’s a long ball and it doesn’t bounce within the 18-yard box, I will have an advantage. Chandu sir (goalkeeping coach Chandrakant Naik) kept reminding me about long balls. There were focused trainings about that. For me, particularly, it was easier to understand what the coaches were trying to do.”
More than tactics, it was the mentality. “The way Praveen sir motivated us… I don’t think anyone can. We always left the team meeting feeling absolutely pumped up. It didn’t even feel like there was any option other than winning the game. Our mindset was so clear from the very beginning. Everyone had the belief. There was a mutual understanding and everyone had each other’s backing,” Naveen further stated.
Coach Naik, too, had nothing but praise for Naveen.
“This year, he performed really well. It’s a historic performance, keeping 12 clean sheets in the PSL. Of course, we backed him, but he worked really hard on his skills this year. He can easily go into the senior team. I focused on his weaknesses this year — not his high balls but his ground balls. The coaches need to work on weaknesses, and I identified that,” he said.
As the season wraps up, Punjab FC’s triumph stands as a testament to faith in youth and the courage to build for tomorrow. This campaign was never merely about chasing silverware; it was about shaping a fearless core that embodies the club’s identity and long-term vision.
The composure and maturity they displayed spoke volumes of the work being done behind the scenes. That growth stems from the dedication of the coaching unit — Praveen, Naik, Sankarlal Chakraborty (interim coach during the campaign), Suman Dev (coach, youth team), Ravinder Chauhan (strength and conditioning), Madhav Katara (physio), and Abhishek Rawat (team manager), among many other members of the staff, whose guidance shaped this young side into champions. Equally vital have been the ever-expanding Development Centres, the backbone of Punjab FC, ensuring that when the local rules changed, the club was ready; not just to adapt, but to lead.
