Manolo Marquez To Continue As FC Goa Head Coach For 2025-26 Season

Last Updated:July 18, 2025, 18:05 IST

Manolo Marquez will stay as FC Goa head coach for the 2025-26 season. Since joining in 2023, he has led the team to success and aims to advance in Indian and Asian football.

FC Goa head caoch Manolo Marquez (PTI)

FC Goa announced that Manolo Marquez will remain as head coach for the 2025-26 season. After guiding the Gaurs through two successful campaigns, the Spanish tactician will stay on for a third season.

“I am very satisfied to join FC Goa for a third season. I was very happy during the previous two seasons, where 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," Manolo Marquez said when speaking of his return to Goa. “It was clear for me that if I were to continue in India, it had to be with FC Goa," he added.

Marquez, who initially signed for the club in 2023 on a two-year deal, has become the longest-serving head coach of the Gaurs, with a campaign spanning 62 matches across all competitions. He begins his third season with ambitions to not only advance the club in Indian football but also in Asian football, following the victory in the Super Sup last season. His first assignment will be leading the club in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League 2, against the Omani Professional League team, Al-Seeb Club, at Fatorda on 13th August.

Regarding Marquez’s extension, FC Goa’s CEO, Ravi Puskur, said, “When the opportunity arose to bring Manolo back, it was one of the most straightforward decisions we’ve had to make at the club. Over the past two seasons, he has not only delivered results but done so with a clear identity and a deep commitment to improving the group as a whole."

Leading FC Goa to two consecutive semi-final appearances in the ISL, Marquez’s record includes four consecutive playoff appearances in top-tier Indian Football, reflecting his tactical brilliance. He has a unique ability to identify young talent and develop players into valuable assets for the club, bringing to the forefront players who have since gained significant acclaim in Indian football.

Puskur added, “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.

“His desire to win matches the right way, while developing talent and instilling belief in the squad, made this decision an easy one. We are delighted to welcome him back and look forward to building on the strong foundation he helped lay." he further remarked on Marquez distinctly paving the path for a winning philosophy at the club.

Marquez remains steadfast despite the challenge of certain key players exiting the club. “I hope that in the next season the team will again be very competitive. We have almost twenty players continuing with us from the previous season, a rare number in the current footballing world. The new faces will of course have certain adjustments to make as we cannot change what worked for us. The hope always remains that we will fight well and that the crowd will be proud of this team," he said.

What Will Be Manolo Marquez’S First Game Back As FC Goa Boss?

Currently, Marquez is focused on the opportunity for the club to excel on the international stage, stating, “It is obviously not a usual pre-season for us. Generally, you get about six to eight weeks of training before you arrive at the first ISL game in good conditions, having played multiple domestic competitions already. We are in a special situation, but a great one for us at the club where we also have the AFC match to look forward to. It will be a difficult game against Al-Seeb, but we are of course ready to play against them and the target will be to be there with our best foot forward."

Joining Marquez in his coaching staff this year are two new members — Spaniards Marc Gamon as the Goalkeeping coach, and David Ramos as the Strength & Conditioning coach — following the departure of Asier Ray Santin and Jose Carlos Barroso. Gamon completed a two-year stint with Belgian club KMSK Deinze and reunited with Marquez last year. For the 2024-25 season, Gamon was Marquez’s goalkeeping coach for the Blue Tigers. They previously worked together at Hyderabad FC in the 2020-21 season. Ramos, new to Indian football, brings experience from coaching clubs in Spain and China. The rest of his coaching staff, including Assistant Coaches Benito Montalvo and Gouramangi Singh Moirangthem, continue their roles at the club.

In a state where football is cherished, Coach Marquez has built a deep sense of trust within the Goan community. Marquez appreciates the relationship the fans share with FC Goa and credits them with being a motivational factor behind some significant wins for the Men in Orange. My connection with the fans has gotten better every season. The fans have been loyal even when the team went through some hard times. Their support towards the club is very big for us, and we would hope for it to continue this year for all our games." he said.

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...Read More

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...

Read More

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Location :

Goa, India, India

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