Australian footballer Nishan Velupillay etched his name into history on Sunday, June 14, becoming the first player of Indian origin to appear in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n
He spent more than 30 minutes on the pitch as Australia produced one of the tournament’s early upsets, beating Turkiye 2-0 in their Group D opener.<\/p>\n
Turkiye were making their first appearance at a FIFA World Cup in 24 years, and Australia made sure it was not a comfortable one. Nestory Irankunda put the Socceroos ahead in the 27th minute with a brilliant finish on the counter-attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He cushioned the ball with a deft touch, beat a defender, and slotted it past the near post\u00a0with clinical precision. Connor Metcalfe wrapped up the victory in the 75th minute after scoring from almost 20 yards.\u00a0<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0World Cup Group D standings 2026: Updated results, table and fixtures<\/a><\/p>\n How did Nishan\u00a0Velupillay perform against Turkiye?<\/p>\n Nishan, 25, entered the fray in the 61st minute as a replacement for goalscorer Irankunda on the right side. Born to an Anglo-Indian mother, Gillian Velupillay, Nishan had been one of Australia’s most exciting young talents heading into the tournament.<\/p>\n