TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024
Team Herald
Goa’s first International football player & first captain of Goa’s 1964 Santosh Trophy team and a football legend Menino Figueiredo died, early Saturday 8th April 2023 morning. Menino Figueiredo was one of those Goans who literally sprouted from the fields, to later play football on the turf greens and beat the best. He is one of those Goans, who was good enough to play alongside the Portuguese, while Goa was under Portuguese dominion, and also play alongside the best and beat the Indians when Goa became part of India.
Menino Figueiredo introduced Goa to India as a footballing force that would later send shivers to all and sundry. He played alongside the Portuguese footballers, and when Goa became independent what a sight he must have been playing for newly independent Goa.
Menino was also the first Niz-Goencar- born, trained and bred in Goa, to play for India. He played right foot defence, earning the nickname 'khambo' or pillar- you didn't have to worry if he was there. If there was anything for the opposition to know... He could play with both feet and in the air.
