MARGAO
Former Sporting Clube de Goa coach Mateus Costa has been appointed as the head coach of the Goa state team for the upcoming Santosh Trophy National Football Championship. Costa, who is currently the head coach of Pax of Nagoa Sports Club, will begin his duties with the team during their ongoing preparatory camp in Goa.
Costa has an extensive coaching background, having previously served as the head coach of Sporting Clube de Goa, Churchill Brothers FC, and Dempo Sports Club's junior teams. He also has prior experience coaching the Goa state team for the Santosh Trophy.
Severino Fernandes has been named as the assistant coach for the state team, and the duo will work together to prepare Goa for the tournament.
Hyderabad will host the final rounds of the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy, marking the first time in 57 years that the city will stage the prestigious event. The last time Hyderabad hosted the tournament was in the 1966-67 season, when Railways defeated Services in the final.
The final rounds are scheduled for the first week of December 2024, with Telangana receiving a bye to the final rounds as the host association. The winners of nine groups, along with last season’s finalists — Services and Goa — will compete in the final rounds in Hyderabad. The group stages will be held in November.
Expressing his gratitude, Costa thanked the Goa Football Association (GFA) for their trust and support. "I sincerely appreciate the GFA for reposing faith in me. I will strive to bring laurels to the state and continue working hard to achieve success," Costa said.
