Getting into the national team had big impact on my confidence, insists Dheeraj Singh

However, his subsequent move to ATK from Kerala proved ineffective as the youngster was benched more often than not during his two-year stay at the club. It was FC Goa that roped in Dheeraj earlier this year, and he has played 14 matches for the club since then. On the basis of his current form, the Indian national team head coach Igor Stimac summoned him for the friendly matches against Oman and UAE in March.

Even though he did not make an International debut, Dheeraj feels that his selection for the national squad has boosted his confidence to a great extent. It's following the assignment that he put on some breath-taking displays for FC Goa in the AFC Champions League.

FC Goa were up against some of the biggest clubs in Asia, that included Persepolis (Iran), Al-Rayyan (Qatar) and Al-Wahada (UAE). The odds were heavily stacked against the ISL outfits but they still managed to register three points, which was not an ordinary feat considering they were the first Indian side to feature in the top-tier league. Dheeraj Singh feels that the exposure gained by the players in the ISL helped them perform well in the continental event.