Top 5 FC Goa players to watch out against rivals in AFC Challenge League

FC Goa will play their AFC Challenge League matches between the 17th and 23th October  

AIFF Super Cup 2025-26 winners FC Goa will be representing India in the AFC Challenge League this season. The Gaurs lost their AFC Champions League 2 qualification match to Turkmenistan club Arkadag; hence, they were relegated to play in Asia’s third-tier annual continental club football competition. 

FC Goa have been drawn into Group C, where they will be facing Tajikistan’s Regar-TadAZ, Kuwait’s Al-Qadsia, and Bangladeshi club Fortis. All teams will play each opponent once between 17th and 23rd October, with the Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium in Kuwait hosting all the games. 

Here are the five FC Goa players to watch in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27.

Sandesh Jhingan 

Starting the list with the most important Indian player in FC Goa’s ranks, Sandesh Jhingan. The centre-back has been consistent in his performances and has been India’s best defender over the last decade. Jhingan’s performance against Chennaiyin FC last Saturday in their Indian Super League 2026-27 opener saw him make 8 defensive contributions. 

The FC Goa defender had 40 defensive contributions in the four AFC Champions League 2 games that he played last season. Apart from his defensive contributions, Jhingan will also be an attacking threat for the Gaurs in set-piece situations.

Jorge Ortiz

Franchu was substituted in the first half against Chennaiyin FC in Goa’s ISL 26-27 opener last Saturday. While the extent of his injury is not known, the Gaurs do have an able replacement in Jorge Ortiz. The Spaniard represented and scored a goal for FC Goa in their debut AFC Champions League campaign in 2021.  

Since then, Ortiz has had stints in China with Shenzhen Peng City and fellow ISL Club Mumbai City. The 34-year-old is versatile and can play as a striker or as an attacking midfielder, something that would help head coach Gouramangi Singh to tweak his tactics as per the match situation. 

Bob Raj 

The 21-year-old Bob Jackson Raj has been trusted by FC Goa’s coaching staff to be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. The youngster will have massive shoes to fill, as the likes of Mohamed Nawaz, Dheeraj Singh, and Hritik Tiwari have been exceptional as the club’s goalkeepers. 

Playing against West Asian clubs, FC Goa will have to endure some situations as they face quality opposition. Since he will be facing quite a lot of shots, Bob Raj will have to be at the top of his game to help the Gaurs qualify for the knockout stage. 

Alex Vallejo 

Alex Vallejo joined FC Goa from Hungary’s Diosgyori VTK over the summer. The 34-year-old has a wealth of experience playing across Europe, and the opportunity in India was his first opportunity outside of his home continent. 

The Spaniard had a great game against Chennaiyin, where he had a successful pass percentage of 91.7%. To add to that, Alex Vallejo was not dispossessed throughout the game and won the majority of his duels on the pitch. 

Vallejo’s contributions would be very important, especially if the club is looking to have a successful run in the AFC Challenge League 2026-27.

Chiki

Christian Borrego (Chiki) will be tasked with scoring goals for FC Goa in their three group stage games in the AFC Challenge League. The Spaniard played the entirety of his career in Spain before moving to India with FC Goa in the summer. 

Chiki was one of the best Goa players in their ISL opener against Chennaiyin FC, and the 30-year-old also scored the equaliser for his club to share the spoils with the Marina Machans. The forward is strong on the ball and won 80% of his duels against CFC’s defence. 

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