Goa Cricket Team

Football is deeply ingrained in Goa. When the colony was ruled by the Portuguese, it was used as a tool to teach boys Christian values such as honesty, strength, and fair play.

On Thursday, Abhinav Tejrana joined the Goa Cricket Team and an exclusive list of batters who have scored a double century on their Ranji Trophy debut.

Goa’s football history

In every league, there are clubs that stand the test of time and become synonymous with that particular competition. In the Indian Super League, FC Goa have carved a niche for themselves as a club that is all about success.

While Goan football has seen many iconic players over the years, one who truly stands out is the late Visitacao Lobo. A clinical finisher with silky skills, Lobo was ahead of his times and was a true visionary when it came to the game. The late star won many state honours during his time, including the prestigious Jivbadada Kerkar award.

There are few nights in Goa football history that will be as memorable as the one when the Gaurs ran rampant over Mumbai City FC in 2015. Sergio Lobera’s side put up a show of offensive prowess at the Fatorda stadium, leaving many in awe.

Ferran Corominas, Thongkhosiem Haokip, and Dudu Omagbemi were amongst the many who found themselves on the scoresheet as FC Goa put up a brilliant display of attacking football. The result – a 5-1 win, with the Gaurs making a statement to the rest of the league.

Goa’s cricket history

PANJIM: They may have been born a few years apart when Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was setting stadiums on fire with his power-hitting back in the 90s but Goan boys Snehal Kauthankar and Kashyap Bakhale shattered records that would have made the batting legend proud on Thursday.

Batting for Goa against Arunachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy at the GCA Ground in Porvorim, the two set a mammoth unbroken partnership of 606 runs — the highest for any wicket in the history of the tournament.

Goa’s Abhinav Tejrana created more history on Thursday by becoming the first Goan batter to smack a double century on first-class debut.

Playing at number three in Goa’s opening match of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy against Chandigarh at the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground in Porvorim, the 24-year-old scored 205 off 320 balls, smacking 21 fours and four sixes in an innings that was packed with brilliance.

Tejrana’s feat is the second highest by a Goan in the Plate Division of the tournament and 13th overall, behind Meghalaya’s record 826 for seven against Sikkim last year. It also makes him the third Goan to score a double hundred in the tournament, after Arjun Tendulkar and Sumiran Amonkar.

Goa’s football club history

Goa has a long football club history. Its first recorded official match was held in 1900, and the state’s first inter-Goa tournament was played in 1923. The earliest recorded match featured British Officers and Portuguese Amateurs, but Goan players soon made their way into the game.

Today, Goa’s clubs dominate the state league, and the club has one of India’s best youth systems. The development team won the Goa Professional League in 2018-19, and the under-13 and under-15 teams are also champions of their age groups.

The Football Club Goa is an Indian football club based in Fatorda, Goa. The club competes in the Indian Super League, the top-tier of the sport in India. The club’s colors are blue and orange, representing the Goan coastline and sunrise. The club’s logo features the state animal, the Gaur. It was created by renowned Spanish designer Robert Pires and launched on 26 August 2014.

In the past, Goa was a formal European colony. However, unlike cricket, which was dominated by the colonial overlords, football had broad appeal among Indians.

The game was introduced to Indian schools by a British priest, Father William Lyons, in 1883. He wanted to use the game as an exercise for boys to embody Christian manhood. He believed it would teach them fairness, honesty, and strength. It was a success, and the game soon spread to rural areas.

After the independence of India, Goa’s leading football clubs grew in size and stature. Many of the top clubs in India were founded by Goans, including the legendary Churchill Brothers.

The club has a rich tradition of winning national championships and has an excellent youth academy. The club is owned by the Salgaocar family, a business conglomerate known for its iron ore exports and steel mills.

In 2014, Goa won a franchise in the Indian Super League, an eight-team franchise league modelled after Major League Soccer in the United States. The bid was won by Venugopal Dhoot, a businessman and owner of the Videocon brand, along with Dattaraj Salgaocar and Shrinivas Dempo, who had previously owned local clubs.

Goa’s cricket club history

Goa’s cricket club has a rich history of playing Ranji Trophy cricket. It has competed in the competition since the 1985-86 season. Its home ground is the Dr Rajendra Prasad Stadium, Margao. It also has a second ground, the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground in Porvorim. The club also has a training ground in Fatorda, and several other pitches throughout the state.

On Thursday, a Goan batter achieved a feat that only a handful of cricketers have ever done. Abhinav Tejrana scored a double century on his First-Class debut for Goa against Chandigarh. He joined an exclusive list that includes the likes of Gundappa Viswanath and domestic cricket legend Amol Muzumdar.

Tejrana’s record-breaking innings for the Goa Cricket Team included 21 fours and five sixes, as he reached his double century in 301 balls.

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