You can take a GOAN out of GOA, but not GOA out of a GOAN

By Lector Mascarenhas

Last year, he was our guest for the annual function of Goa Veterans Football Club, held at Hawaii Garden, Navelim, Sinquetim, Goa. He liked what he saw and wanted to rub shoulders with former Goan footballers which he could not do much during his playing days. Therefore, there and then, he paid his fees and became a member of GVFC. Taking Instant decisions is the hallmark of an ace footballer. For us, it was a proud moment, as we can now boast that we have an Olympian, and that too a Goan footballer, amongst us.

Destiny took Fortunato out of Goa but no one cannot Goa out of Fortunato. A Goan by birth is a Goan after-all, no matter where he resides. That’s what actually happened when many years ago young Fortunato, aged around six, had to leave the Goan shores for Bombay with his parents. Thereafter he lived there and played football passionately – it just came natural to him. He also served Tatas as a PRO till his retirement and now lives the rest of his life in a place where he belongs- Goa

.From Colvale (Bardez) – Bombay- and back to Colva (Salcette,Goa), it has been a long journey, a journey worth emulating by youngsters.

For those of you, unaware about his exploits on the football field, here is the man:

Name: Fortunato Franco

Age (Date of Birth): 74 ( 2.05.1936)

Village : Colvale (Bardez),

Club: Tata Sports Club- 1959 to 1965

Country: Represented India from 1959 to 1965

• Asian Cup Finals at Ernakulam, Kerala, 1959.
• Rome Olympics, 1960
• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1961
• Won Asian Games Gold at Jakarta in 1962.
• Asian Cup Final, 1963 at Tel Aviv-Israel( Runners up- Silver Medal)

§ Was the vice captain of the Maharashtra team which won the Santosh trophy in 1963 at Madras.

§ Pre Olympic matches for Tokyo Olympics at Colombo,Tehran,Bangalore and Calcutta.

• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1964
• Merdeka Football Tournament, Kuala Lumpur, 1965.

Former Olympian, Fortunato Franco, is the recipient of a special award of Rs five lakhs from Sports Authority of Goa, the sports wing of the Governmentof Goa.. The special award given by the Government to Sri F Franco is nothing but sort of a ‘Life Time Achievement Award’. The Jivadababa Kerkar Award, the highest sports award, given by the Government to sportsmen is actually meant for current players and so only one player is chosen every year. A team game like football may have several deserving players and so the Jivadababa Kerkar Award doesn’t serve the purpose. The Government must consider the case of deserving footballers who were overlooked earlier and give them a ‘Life Time Acheivement Award’. A case is particular is that of former international footballer, Francis D’Souza, who did not receive the ‘Jivadababa Kerkar Award’ simply because out of sight, is out of mind for the concerned authorities-GFA and SAG.

One must give credit where it is due and so it compels me to admit that the Government’s sports wing have done yeomen service to sports and football in particular by launching and implementing the much required ‘Sports Policy’ which, according to me, is the greatest gift to Goan Sports.

Take a bow to Fortunato Franco and GVFC wishes him many happy returns of today.