~ The defender was initially picked by the Gaurs in the 2017 ISL Draft ~
Kolkata, September, 2020: FC Goa announced that the club has retained the services of Mohamed Ali after the Goan defender put pen to paper on a new two-year deal.
Picked in the 10th round of the 2017 ISL Player Draft, the 28-year-old burst on to the scene in the 2017/18 season. Over the 3 seasons with the Gaurs, the man hailing from Caranzalem, Goa made 24 appearances in FC Goa colours, helping the team reach the playoffs in each of the seasons.
Speaking after completing his extension, Ali said, “The last 3 years have been an amazing journey. FC Goa is more than just a club for me. It’s a family. It’s a way of living, representing the very essence of Goa and the way we want to play football. We are on the way up and the next season is going to be another big challenge. We will be fighting not only for the ISL crown, but also in the AFC Champions League - representing India.
“As a player, I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement from my end. I had no doubt that this was the option for me going forward. This new contract shows the kind of faith the club has on its players and I want to repay that. The challenge for me will be to win a regular starting place in the side and I am very much up for that. I really can’t wait for the new season to begin,” he added.
FC Goa’s Director of Football, Ravi Puskar sounded equally delighted at having Ali back in the team. Speaking on the same, he said, “We are very happy to have Ali back with us. We have always put a focus on providing the Goan boys with a platform on which they can shine. Thus, we are naturally thrilled that we can continue our association. The fact that he has been with the team all these years, and knows not only the philosophy but also the dressing room inside out made it a very easy decision for us. “
“Ali has always shown a keen interest in getting better every season and we are sure he will as well. His attitude is commendable. He adds depth to the squad and will give Juan another option at the back.”
added Ravi.
Ali becomes the 3rd player to sign an extension this off-season following Edu Bedia and Lenny Rodrigues.
About FC Goa
FC Goa is a professional football club based out of Goa that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL) and is the current holder of the Super Cup. Nicknamed the Gaurs, FC Goa has been one of the most consistent teams in the ISL - reaching 3 semi-finals and 2 finals in 6 seasons.
In Season 2019/20, the club won the Hero ISL League Winners Shield, by finishing top of the table in the league stages and became the first-ever club from India to qualify for the group stages of the AFC Champions League. The Gaurs are also the only ISL side to win more than 50 games and score more than 200 goals.
Co-owned by Mr Jaydev Mody, Mr Akshay Tandon and Mr Virat Kohli, FC Goa is one of Indian few Clubs to have a complete youth development ecosystem. It’s U14, U16, U18 and Developmental Teams compete at the highest levels in Goa and nationally. The system has produced recognizable talents like Saviour Gama, Princeton Rebello and many more. The Gaurs are also the Champions of the GFA U20 & GFA U18 Leagues and the winners of the Goa Professional League in 2018/19.
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