Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
RAIA: FC Goa on Thursday announced the signing of Harsh Patre, a talented 22-year-old midfielder, ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Harsh returns home after a stint with Bengaluru FC, becoming the latest addition to the Gaurs’ squad as the club continues to strengthen its local core. FC Goa have been monitoring Harsh for seven years since they saw him play first at the age of 15.
FC Goa have been following Harsh’s journey during his growing up days while playing with the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) academy and he came under FC Goa’s radar first in the 2018-19 season during the AIFF Junior League, while ironically, playing against FC Goa. And that performance left its mark on the club scouts who were relentless in ensuring that Harsh Patre plays for FC Goa someday.
Speaking on the signing, FC Goa’s Director of Football Lokesh Bherwani said: “The first time we saw Harsh play was back in the 2018-19 season when he was a 15 year old playing against FC Goa U15’s. We were immediately very impressed with his technical ability, game awareness and speed of decision making. These are the qualities we look for in a player at FC Goa.”
Post his GFDC days Harsh Patre was selected by the scouts at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to join the ambitious but now defunct Indian Arrows project. Harsh got exposed to playing at a higher level, in tougher conditions and physical opponents in the I-League where he represented Arrows and got his first taste of what professional football at the highest might look like.