Manolo Marquez extends contract with FC Goa ahead of 2025-26 season

Manolo Marquez won the Kalinga Super Cup with Gaurs last season.

The Spanish mastermind from Catalonia, Manolo Marquez, has agreed to put pen to paper to sign a new contract with the reigning Super Cup champions FC Goa for the 2025-26 season.

Under Manolo, Goa has found their old rhythm and form back, and after two successful stints with the Gaurs, Manolo is geared up for his third term at Goa.

Also Read: ISL 2025-26: All transfers completed in summer transfer window

Manolo Marquez was appointed the head coach of the Indian national football team a year ago. Taking up the dual responsibility to manage the national team and the club for a year was never easy.

Goa had a shaky start to their last ISL season and went on to script a memorable comeback to finish second in the ISL points table. They were agonisingly close to reaching the ISL Finals against Bengaluru FC, but they were yet to get rid of the semi-final curse.

Manolo Marquez’s tactical brilliance took Goa back to the continental spotlight after the Gaurs thrashed Jamshedpur FC 3-0 in the Finals to clinch the Super Cup trophy for the second time. A lot is at stake for both Manolo and Goa as they get ready for their ACL Qualifier clash against Al Seeb in less than a month.

After an underwhelming campaign with the senior men’s team, Manolo mutually parted ways with the Blue Tigers. Longing for familiar leadership and continuity, Goa grabbed the opportunity with both hands to welcome Manolo back to the dugout.

On signing a new contract, Manolo expressed his happiness and said, “I am very satisfied to join FC Goa for a third season. I was very happy during the previous two seasons, when 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.”

A look at Manolo’s time at Goa so far

Manolo Marquez joined FC Goa after spending three seasons at Hyderabad FC, where he went on to win the ISL Trophy with the Nizams in his second season. Under Manolo, Goa has adopted a fearless and attacking flair of football while also making the most of their Spanish tiki-taka style.

This is Manolo’s third-longest tenure at a club after two long stints with Spanish side AE Prat and former ISL Champions Hyderabad FC. So far, he has managed 62 games for Goa and boasts a massive 61% winning accuracy with an estimated 2.03 points per game.

What sets Manolo apart from other coaches is his ability to nurture young talent. During his two-year tenure at Goa so far, he has used 39 players, reflecting his philosophy to back homegrown and young talents.

Many young talents like Jay Gupta, Hrithik Tiwari, and Brison Fernandes have honed their skills under Manolo Marquez’s tutelage. From getting their first start at a club to donning the national team jersey, Manolo has played a crucial role in the making of many such young talents during his time in India so far.

FC Goa CEO, Ravi Puskur, also expressed his happiness after signing a new contract with Manolo. He said, “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.

Continental challenge awaits Manolo Marquez

FC Goa have a golden opportunity to advance to the ACL 2 Group stages with a win over the Omani outfit Al Seeb in the ACL 2 Qualifier fixture scheduled to take place on August 13th at Margao. They would be keen to join Mohun Bagan as the second Indian side in the Asian Champions League 2.

At worst, Goa will be playing the AFC Challenge League. A lot is at stake for Goa and Indian football to perform well at the continental level to improve India’s coefficient points in the AFC rankings and take Indian clubs back to ACL Elite.

FC Goa have completed signing all six foreign players ahead of the new season. They have roped in some exciting names like David Timor and Pol Moreno to reinforce their defence and midfield. Also, young guns like Harsh Patre have been added alongside Javier Siverio, who has formerly played under Manolo at Hyderabad FC and even Las Palmas.

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