Five fan favourite foreigners to have played for Odisha FC

This is Mauricio's second stint at Odisha FC

Life was breathed into Odisha FC on 22nd October 2019 after the nine-year-old initial Indian Super League participant, Delhi Dynamos was rebranded. The club shifted its base to Bhubaneshwar and started playing its home games at the Kalinga Stadium since then.

Fast forward to 2023, and the side has managed to become a name to be feared due to their Super Cup 2023 victory and Durand Cup quarter-final run. Add to that the recruitment of former league-winning coach Sergio Lobera alongside veterans like Ahmed Jahouh, Mourtada Fall, and Roy Krishna, and you have one potent concoction. 

Despite the club entering only its fifth year in a little over two months, there have been a few international players who have left a lasting impact on the fandom. These players have put in a great shift during their time at the club, earning the praise of the Juggernauts’ fans, teammates, and management alike.

Looking back, here are names of five fan-favorite foreigners to play for the Kalinga Warriors:

5. Aridai Cabrera

The tricky Spanish winger signed for the East Indian outfit for the 2021-22 season from UD Las Palmas. Having arrived from an esteemed club in Spain, fans were hoping to witness brilliance and they were not disappointed. Cabrera, or as he was lovingly referred to as, Aridai, was the talk of the town after a goal on his debut to open his account in the ISL.

Having played only 17 games, he had a significant impact as he scored five times and assisted once. Aridai’s flashy skills and direct yet creative gameplay mesmerized fans and terrorised the opposition. Moreover, the other side would be frequently frustrated by his tendency to take on opponents giving away cheap fouls as a result.

He scored a brace in his second game against East Bengal and his already sky-high popularity rocketed further. Although he scored only two more times, it is testimony to his role as his team always won whenever he scored. Cabrera left Odisha in 2022 but for the fans he will always be in their hearts. 

4. Jonathas (Jonathas De Jesus)

The Juggernauts’ faithful had yet another memorable journey with veteran Brazilian striker Jonathas. Like Aridai, he played for the club during the 2021-22 season and was crucial to their revival after a disappointing 2020-21 season.

Jonathas bullied his opponents physically unlike his Spanish counterpart who was more of a trickster. The Brazilian cast a faint shadow of Odisha FC’s former and current Samba striker Diego Mauricio who plied his trade for Mumbai City during the 2021-22 season.

With eight goals in 16 appearances, the target man hit some great numbers not only on the scoreboard but with the fans as well. The fans treasured his pivotal fox-in-the-box abilities as much as he did their support. Especially at the cusp of momentous victories like the 4-2 triumph over Mumbai City. Jonathas left the Kalinga Warriors’ faithful with some fond memories of his time at the club. 

3. Javi Hernandez 

The talented and nimble Real Madrid graduate had a stint at the club before joining his current employer, Bengaluru FC. With extensive knowledge of the league over two seasons, unlocking defenses was no issue to Javi. He was part of the Cabrera-Jonathas-Hernandez trio in the 2021-22 season and albeit the most creative out of the three.

Although he did not possess the speed of Aridai or the brutish finishing of Jonathas he had his own skillset. Whether it be jinking past players and finding unthinkable passes into the final third or rifling in thunderous shots from outside the box; he had it all.

Loved by the fans wherever he went, the Juggeranauts’ fans were no different. The Spaniard racked up six vital goals and five even more crucial assists in 19 appearances for the Kalinga Warriors. With 11 goal contributions, he was by far their best foreign player of the season.

2. Aridane Santana

From Jesse Lingard to Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo; the world has seen its share of players who conjured a storm while on loan and became the fans’ heartbeat. Such was the saga of Aridane Santana’s role in Odisha’s hopeful 2019-20 campaign. As newcomers to the league, they were bent on making a mark, and who better than the Spanish marksman to help them out? 

Hailing from Cultural Leonesa on loan, he arrived looking sharper than ever, scoring on his debut. Even though Odisha FC went on to lose the match, Santana took it in his stride and responded a match later with a brace against Mumbai City FC.

He notched two more braces on his way to the Odisha FC Player of the Season award, also helping the club to a sixth-place finish. Overall he scored nine times and assisted twice in only 14 appearances for the club. Aridane Santana got the Odisha fans their first taste of excellence and two years after his departure, his name is still uttered with joy and appreciation among the faithful. 

1. Diego Mauricio

Setting a record and breaking it after returning is the mark of a world-class player and Diego Mauricio is no less. The Brazilian powerhouse was an instant favorite the first time he donned the dark colors of the Juggernauts. In the 2020-21 season, Mauricio racked up a whopping 12 goals and two assists for Odisha, and given his odds, he did a phenomenal job. His versatility and mixed skillset was primarily responsible for the same and put the fans in a dilemma as to which attribute of his they should praise.  

Fast forward one season, he was back at the club after a successful stint with Mumbai City. This time around the Samba striker looked to be a galvanized version of himself, scoring chips, curlers, and 30-yard screamers for fun. He popped up whenever his side needed him, and managed to get on the score sheet 12 times, once again with four assists.

Additionally, he managed to clinch the Golden Boot on a better goals-per-game ratio against Cletion Silva and Dimitri Petratos. His ravenous form in the Super Cup was unparalleled, however, and one of the driving factors behind Odisha’s maiden trophy.