VirgilBugnion41 at 14:01, 10 March 2026

2026-03-10T14:01:52Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2022}}
This page is about Goan achievers in the world of sport. [[Goa]] is a tiny region along the west coast of India, and is known for its many athletes, in particular [[association football]] (soccer).

== Background==
The first Goan to have played for India, representing Goa, is [[Menino Figueiredo]], who represented India on a [[goodwill tour]] of Russia in 1963. This tour is not considered an official tour and some say the first Goan to have represented India thus becomes [[Visitacao Lobo]] in 1970.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

==Captains for India==
[[Brahmanand Shankhwalkar]],<ref>{{cite web |author= Sengupta, Somnath |title= Legends Of Indian Football : Brahmanand Sankhwalkar |url= http://www.thehardtackle.com/2014/legends-of-indian-football-brahmanand-sankhwalkar/ |website= thehardtackle.com |date= 27 April 2014 |access-date= 11 October 2014 |archive-date= 30 April 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140430003147/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2014/legends-of-indian-football-brahmanand-sankhwalkar/ }}</ref> [[Bruno Coutinho (footballer, born 1969)|Bruno Coutinho]], [[Mauricio Afonso]], and [[Roberto Fernandes (footballer, born 1971)|Roberto Fernandes]] have captained the Indian senior national team.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

[[Seby Antao]] and [[Lawrence Gomes]] have captained the India national youth team.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

==Senior internationals==
Long before 19 December 1961, the day [[History of Goa#Portuguese arrival|Portuguese colonial rule]] ended in Goa, [[Goans]] had made a mark in Indian football. Many represented India by playing for [[Bombay]] and shining at the domestic level, thus earning international [[Cap (sport)|caps]].

In the list below, names of Goans who have represented India in international matches are included, with the name of the domestic team in parentheses.
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Neville D'Souza]]: 1953 (Bombay)
* Anthony Braganza: 1954 (Bombay)
* Joe D'Sa: 1954 (Bombay)
* [[Fortunato Franco]]: 1960 (Bombay)
* [[Derek D'Souza]]: 1960 (Bombay)<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian Football "HALL OF FAME": DEREYK JOSEPH HYACINTH DeSOUZA|url=http://indianfootball.de/data/halloffame/dsouza_dereyk.html |website=indianfootball.de |publisher=IndianFootball |date=2005 |access-date=30 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805081113/http://indianfootball.de/data/halloffame/dsouza_dereyk.html |archive-date=5 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Menino Figueiredo]]: 1963
* [[Marto Gracias]]: 1967 (Bombay)
* Andrew D'Souza: 1968
* [[Visitacao Lobo]]: 1970
* Ramesh Redkar: 1973
* Nicholas Pereira: 1973
* Bernard Pereira: 1973
* [[Brahmanand Sankhwalkar]]: 1976
* [[Arnold Rodrigues]]: 1977<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/legendary-indian-footballer-visits-kuwait-goans-keralites-always-dynamic-footballers-arnold/|title=Legendary Indian footballer visits Kuwait – Goans, Keralites always been dynamic footballers: Arnold|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718134617/http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/legendary-indian-footballer-visits-kuwait-goans-keralites-always-dynamic-footballers-arnold/|archive-date=18 July 2016|website=arabtimesonline.com|publisher=[[Arab Times|Arab Times Kuwait]]|date=2 May 2016|access-date=10 September 2021|first=Gasper|last=Crasto|location=[[Kuwait City]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gomantaktimes.com/news/sports/arnold-rodrigues-wants-to-live-his-dream-of-coaching-in-goa|title=Arnold Rodrigues wants to live his dream of coaching in Goa|publisher=Gomantak Times|website=gomantaktimes.com|access-date=22 May 2023|archive-date=22 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522172255/https://www.gomantaktimes.com/news/sports/arnold-rodrigues-wants-to-live-his-dream-of-coaching-in-goa|date=11 April 2023|first=Augusto|last=Rodrigues|location=Goa}}</ref>
* Prakash Naik: 1977
* [[Armando Colaco]]: 1977
* Francis D'Souza: 1978
* Anthony Rebello: 1982
* Jose D'Souza: 1983
* Camilo Gonsalves: 1983
* Bento Andrew: 1983
* Mahesh Lotlikar: 1983
* Chandrakant Naik: 1984
* [[Mauricio Afonso]]: 1984
* Arnold Rodrigues: 1984
* Anthony D'Souza: 1984
* Ashok Fadte: 1984
* [[Ignatius Dias]]: 1984
* [[Derrick Pereira]]: 1984
* [[Savio Medeira]]: 1987
* Lawrence Gomes: 1984
* Johnny Araujo: 1987
* Lector Mascarenhas: 1989
* Norbert Gonsalves: 1989
* [[Mario Soares (footballer)|Mario Soares]]: 1989
* [[Bruno Coutinho (footballer, born 1969)|Bruno Coutinho]]: 1991
* Roy Barretto: 1992
* Francis Silveira: 1993
* [[Roberto Fernandez (footballer, born 1971)|Roberto Fernandez]]: 1996<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=NFT Player – National Team & Club Appearances: Roberto Fernandez|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/3106/Roberto_Fernandes.html|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.national-football-teams.com|publisher=National Football Teams|language=en|archive-date=5 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905125549/https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/3106/Roberto_Fernandes.html}}</ref>
* Francis Coelho: 1996
* Franky Barretto: 1997
* Jules Alberto: 1999
* [[Mahesh Gawli]]: 1999
* [[Anthony Pereira]]: 2000
* Roque Barreto: 2000
* [[Alvito D'Cunha]]: 2001
* [[Alex Ambrose]]: 2002
* [[Samir Naik]]: 2002
* [[Selwyn Fernandes]]: 2003
* [[Climax Lawrence]]: 2003
* [[Felip Gomes]]: 2005
* [[Bibiano Fernandes (footballer)|Bibiano Fernandes]]: 2005
* [[Clifford Miranda]]: 2005
* [[Micky Fernandes]]: 2006
* [[Fredy Mascarenhas]]: 2006
* [[Denzil Franco]]: 2010
* [[Joaquim Abranches]]: 2011
* [[Francis Fernandes]]: 2011
* [[Peter Carvalho]]: 2011
* [[Rowilson Rodrigues]]: 2011
* [[Valeriano Rebello]]: 2011
* [[Lenny Rodrigues]]: 2012
* [[Adil Khan (footballer)|Adil Khan]]: 2012
* [[Dawson Fernandes]]: 2013
* [[Victorino Fernandes]]: 2013
* [[Rowllin Borges]]: 2015
* [[Augustin Fernandes]]: 2015
* [[Cavin Lobo]]: 2015
* [[Romeo Fernandes]]: 2015
* [[Fulganco Cardozo]]: 2016
* [[Brandon Fernandes]]: 2019
* [[Mandar Rao Dessai]]: 2019
* [[Liston Colaco]]: 2021
* [[Glan Martins]]: 2021
* [[Seriton Fernandes]]: 2021
* [[Irfan Yadwad]]: 2024
*[[Brison Fernandes]]: 2025
{{div col end}}

==Junior national teams==
The following have represented Indian junior national teams in age-group [[tournament]]s but not represented the [[India national football team|senior national team]]:{{cn|date=January 2024}}
{{div col|colwidth=203m}}
* Lawrence Gomes in 1982 for India u-19 Asian Youth Championships Captain
* Seby Antao in 1988 for India u-19
* Alex Alvares in 1991 for India U-21
* Victor Lobo in 1995 for India U-23
* Melwyn Rodrigues in 1998 for India u-21
* Covan Lawrence in 1998 for India U-19
* Milagrio Madeira in 2001 for India U-19
* [[Godwin Franco]] in 2003 for India U-19
* Garry D'Mello in 2004 for India U-19
* Marcelino Dias in 2004 for India U-18
* Bernard Pires in 2005 for India U-23
* Cliffton Gonsalves in 2005 for India U-20
* Terence Lobo in 2005 for India U-20
* [[Laxmikant Kattimani]] in 2005 for India U-20
* Steven Fernandes in 2005 for India U-20
* [[Joshuah Vaz]] in 2005 for India U-16
* Franco Fernandes in 2006 for India U-14
* [[Beevan D'Mello]] in 2006 for India U-20
* [[Branco Cardozo]] - (TFA Jamshedpur) in 2006 played for India U-19
* [[Shallum Pires]] in 2006 for India U-14
* Lavino Fernandes in 2006 for India U-20
* [[Myron Mendes]] in 2009 for India U-14
* [[Albino Gomes]] in 2009 for India U-16
* [[Meldon D'Silva]] in 2009 for India U-16
* [[Anthony Barbosa]] in 2011 for India U-23
* [[Prathamesh Maulingkar]] in 2012 for India U-22

{{div col end}}

==India schools==
The following have played for India schools only and not for any other junior national team:{{cn|date=January 2024}}
* Inacio Fernandes
* Michael Gomes
* Casmiro Palha
* Joaquim Palha
* Peter Santamaria-Woods

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book | last=Fernandes | first=C. | title=Twilight of the Exiles | publisher=[[Fellowship of Australian Writers]] - New South Wales | year=2021 | isbn=978-0-909497-40-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=16YdzgEACAAJ |author-link=Cyprian Fernandes}}
*{{Cite web|first=Cyprian|last=Fernandes|title=Johnny Lobo: Living Kenya-Goan soccer legend |author-link=Cyprian Fernandes|url=https://www.headlinesofmylife.today/2018/06/johnny-lob0-living-soccer-legend.html?m=1|date=1 June 2018|access-date=12 November 2021 |website=headlinesofmylife.today|archive-date=12 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112103311/https://www.headlinesofmylife.today/2018/06/johnny-lob0-living-soccer-legend.html?m=1}}

==External links==
* [http://sportygoans.blogspot.com/search/label/Soccer Soccer], on Goans on the International Sporting Stage website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Football, Goans in}}
[[Category:Footballers from Goa]]
[[Category:Lists of Indian sportspeople]]
[[Category:Lists of people from Goa]]
[[Category:Association football player non-biographical articles]]

Goans in football - Revision history

VirgilBugnion41 at 14:01, 10 March 2026