Sarpreet Singh: Bayern Munich's New Zealand star representing South Asia

When Sarpreet Singh stepped off the plane in his native New Zealand in December he was surrounded by an "overwhelming" array of television cameras and media.

He had not only arrived back home joined of the country's major sporting stars but also as a job model for South Asians dreaming of breaking down barriers in mainstream professional football.

The 21-year-old midfielder's rise had take place after German giants Bayern Munich plucked him from the relative obscurity of playing for Kiwi side Wellington Phoenix and signed him last summer.

Singh had been spotted playing for brand new Zealand at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup and, initially brought in together for the future, the attacking midfielder is progressing "better than expected" and has already made his first-team debut.

"Coming from New Zealand with an Indian background, it doesn't happen too often," he tells BBC Sport of his journey to the Bundesliga club.

"When I play for the New Zealand national team, a lot of people say we are the underdogs.

"But on behalf of me , it's all mental. It just comes down to what proportion work you would like to place in.

"You couldn't say that when I was playing in Wellington that i would now be at Bayern Munich, but here i'm . Anything is possible."

Singh's immediate family, including his mother and siblings, are Christian, while his extended family is Sikh and hail from the northern Punjab region of India.

Singh's family had a powerful specialize in education, together with his brother and sister achieving "good degrees", but the youngest sibling was allowed to follow his footballing dream as he says "mum sensed maybe i used to be a little bit different" and had a "gift".

"Sometimes Indian parents say 'don't need it today'," he said when speaking about the dedication of taking children to coach and games. "My uncle still does it together with his kids and that we try and tell him that it's important, especially when they're young.

"The older they get the more the youngsters will start to understand but, once they are young, it is vital the parent drives it. they need to form tons of sacrifices and that is what my family did on behalf of me ."

Singh seems determined to require the prospect Bayern have given him. he's one in every of five youngsters at the club allowed to coach with the primary team and has scored six goals in addition as registering seven assists in 19 outings for the Munich club's second team this season.

He has impressed Bayern boss Hansi Flick and had the "truly special feeling" of constructing his first-team debut when he came on as a late substitute for Philippe Coutinho against Werder Bremen in December.

"It was like where everything you have got worked hard for has paid off. But, at an equivalent time, it's just the beginning ," said Singh.

Bayern accepts that he's "unique" therein he's the rarity of a South Asian at such a high-profile team and also the club's academy manager, Jochen Sauer, says their decision to sign him was entire "a sporting one".

"We recognized with our scouting department that he's a really talented football player," added Sauer. "He features a good technique, can read a game and is employed to ball possession football.

"His progress is incredibly good, better than we expected. We decided in November that he's ready to train every day with the primary team.

"After three or four weeks training with the primary team, he already had his debut and this is often very positive. Even Hansi Flick failed to expect that he could play for the first-team already before Christmas."

Singh's heritage and, the actual fact that he's at such a renowned club in Bayern Munich, has put him on a pedestal for young South Asian footballers.

"Being in Germany, Sarpreet perhaps might not even realize the magnitude of his achievement," said Baljit Rihal, founding father of the Asian Football Awards.

"He could be a role model that provides inspiration and confirmation of the probabilities for aspiring South Asian footballers globally.

"We need more like him, and fast. He can give all South Asian communities a way of pride and belong in an arena where I currently believe there's a disconnect."

Singh, who supported Chelsea growing up, and his brother - a Manchester United fan - used to get on my feet at 3 am in New Zealand to look at games within the English top flight.

Rihal says he "selfishly" hopes Singh will eventually play within the Premier League in what may well be a "watershed moment for British Asians" to "send a transparent message to any or all those over the years who have doubted the capabilities of the community".

Since his move to Bayern, Singh says he has been greatly surprised by the support and volume of messages he receives from the South Asian community which makes him feel "proud and special".

"Hopefully, I can set an honest platform for the players that follow me," he said.

"That's quite my goal - to be the most effective I are often , set an honest example for the youngsters to come back and encourage them to stay working hard in order that in some unspecified time in the future it'll be them."

While Singh may appreciate a number of the responsibilities of his new status, he has also sampled the celebrity it brings back range in New Zealand where he says "people do recognize me and are available up to me".

"I and my mate were progressing to choose a tennis hit but we did not have any rackets so we went right down to the local sports shop and purchased some," said Singh, who returned range in December during the Bundesliga winter break.

"The guy serving us said 'I do not know if you recognize this but has anyone told you that you simply seem like Sarpreet Singh?'

"I said 'no' but my friend was like 'that's him'. I said 'you didn't have to inform him'."

If Singh continues on his current trajectory, he might preferably be recognized a great deal more regularly.