Goan football has been one of the central hotbeds for the sport in the country, along with Kerala, West Bengal, and north-east India. Clubs from the coastal state, the smallest in India, have been the centre-pieces in the Indian football landscape since time immemorial. However, there has been a tectonic shift in their fortunes, since the beginning of the last decade.

Earlier, outfits such as Salgaocar FC, Dempo SC, and Churchill Brothers FC remained synonymous with success in the country. Their dominance was driven by a host of factors, which consisted of a robust footballing culture, promising stars, and a touching and passionate fan base. Teams from the country constantly battled in the upper echelons of the game in the country, bagging several domestic championships and even representing India in other continental tournaments. 

However, the ISL changed the fabric of football in the country that left Goan football in its wakel, something that it is still trying to recover from. The league and the shenanigans that came with it, supported by its corporate backings and marquee signings, put forth an unprecedented challenge in front of the traditional Goan teams. Equally, the team’s ownerships couldn’t adjust to the new environment of Indian football, spelling their disappearance from the top level club football in India.

Right now, FC Goa is the only outfit keeping the state’s footballing resilience afloat at the highest level. Their consistently impressive performances in the ISL, including the League Shield win in 2019-20, along with multiple playoffs qualification have kept them in the national spotlight. They have displaced the aforementioned trio to become the face of the state in football and even encouraged them to keep pushing and promote to the top level.

However, with FC Goa forming a monopoly of sorts, the overall decline of Goan football is concerning from a broader perspective. Their footballing infrastructure at the grassroots level has arguably not matched up with the other stronger peers. In the paucity of adequate youth development programs, the amenities for the overall talent pool are prevalent in the country. 

For the overall revival of Goan football, there’s a necessity to address these challenges. Whilst investment in youth development programs could be counter-productive, enhancing infrastructural capacities and building the culture could be important steps. The players rising the ranks from these improved structures run the risk, more from the club’s end and not for them individually, of being poached upon by the bigger outfits. However, a multi-faceted collaboration amongst state governments, football associations, and clubs could harness a sustainable and long-lasting environment to resurrect Goan football

Moving forward, the potential for the traditional Goan clubs needs to be explored in greater detail. Dempo SC have made an impressive stride forward by getting promoted to the I-League from I-League II, whereas Churchill Brothers FC finished seventh in the standings in the second-tier of Indian football for 2023-24. These are encouraging signs since the I-League winner gets promoted to the ISL now. Salgaocar FC, on the other hand, didn’t play in the Goan top-tier for the first time in 67 years in 2023 – suggesting that they have a long way to move back up the ladder. 

However, with Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers FC having a clear chance of getting promoted to the ISL now; it’s positive consequences for football in the state makes up for a fascinating study. Simultaneously, the clubs coming up from the region need to show greater financial viability and competitive capabilities, pursuing stronger backings that could help them compete with the best teams in the country. 

Overall, it can be argued that Goan football has embraced a transitional period off late. The decline of traditional teams has coincided with the coming of age of FC Goa. It is, however, necessary to address the challenges faced by the older teams and invest in the grassroots and undertake bottoms up approach to re-ignite the seemingly lost football heritage of Goa.