Manpreet Singh part of India side that beat Malaysia 5-1 to win hockey gold at Asian Games 2026

Manpreet Singh was a member of the Indian men’s hockey team that defeated Malaysia 5-1 to claim gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in a report published on 2026-10-04. The victory completed a successful defence of the title India won at the Hangzhou 2022 Games.

Goals from Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Hardik Singh and Shilanand Lakra contributed to the 5-1 scoreline in the final. Hockey India announced a cash award of INR 11 lakh for each player. The Men in Blue became the first team to defend the men’s hockey title at the Asian Games.

Manpreet Singh is described in the report as a long-serving, legendary midfielder from Jalandhar who has made more than 430 appearances for India. The 2026 gold is the third Asian Games gold of his career, following victories in 2014 and 2022. That trio of medals makes him the most successful men’s hockey player in Asian Games history and the only player to have won three gold medals at the tournament.

In 2014 Manpreet was part of the India side that beat Pakistan in the final on penalties at the Incheon Games, and in 2022 he was in the team that defeated Japan 5-1 in the Hangzhou final. Those earlier titles, together with the Aichi-Nagoya victory, are listed as the three golds he now holds. The report states those results as the basis for his unique standing at the Asian Games.

The player commented on the wider consequences of the win, saying: "This gold medal was very important for us. After winning gold at the Asian Games, we secured direct qualification for the Olympics. Both the men’s and women’s teams have qualified for LA from here, so it has been a significant achievement for us," Manpreet told ANI. He added: "I’ll dedicate this medal to my family – the people I’ve been living far away from. I have two daughters. I’ll do something special for the younger one, Evelyn."

By securing the Asian Games gold, India’s men’s team secured direct qualification for the Olympics, a point Manpreet highlighted in his remarks; the report also notes that the women’s team secured direct Olympic qualification from the same tournament.