Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
RAIA: FC Goa’s Head Coach Manolo Márquez has committed to continue with the club for 2025-26 season. After leading the Gaurs through two successful campaigns, the Spanish tactician will remain at the helm for a third season, reaffirming the club’s commitment to consistency, ambition, and growth.
“I am very satisfied to join FC Goa for a third season. I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where the team showed consistent improvement each year. The level of organisation that the club operates with is not commonly observed in Indian club football, making FC Goa a very special club,” Manolo Márquez informed when speaking of his return to FC Goa.
“It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa,” he added.
The Spaniard initially signed for the club in 2023 on a two-year deal, and since has become the longest serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions.
He begins his third season at FC Goa with a desire to maintain a successful record, not only taking the club further in Indian football, but Asian football as well, thanks to the win in the Kalinga Super Sup last season. For his first assignment, he will be leading the club in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League 2, against Omani Professional League team, Al-Seeb Club, where FC Goa will play host at Fatorda on August 13.
On Márquez’s extension, Ravi Puskur, FC Goa’s CEO said, “When the opportunity arose to bring Manolo back, it was one of the most straightforward decisions we’ve had to make at the club. Over the past two seasons, he has not only delivered results but done so with a clear identity and a deep commitment to improving the group as a whole.”
Leading FC Goa to two back-to-back semi-final appearances in the ISL, Manolo Márquez’s ledger is prominently marked with four consecutive play-off appearances in top-tier Indian Football, a figure that reflects his tactical brilliance. Manolo Márquez brought a unique ability to identify young talent and mould players to become extremely valuable assets for the club, bringing to the forefront players who have since gained tremendous acclaim in Indian football.
Puskar added, “Manolo’s ability to bring out the best in players - individually and collectively - along with his sincerity, work ethic, and clarity of purpose, align perfectly with the values we hold at FC Goa. In an environment where continuity and consistency are often hard to come by, Manolo represents both.