The Golden Eagles have signed ace striker Milagres Gonsalves to a one-year deal with the club.
Biography
Milagres Gonsalves excelled in several disciplines while at school but after some time found that football was his calling. The swarthy forward started his youth career at Sporting Clube de Goa and joined Salgaocar Football Club’s Under-18 team as a teenager. Mariano Dias spotted the oodles of talent waiting to be tapped in the youngster and promoted him to the senior team at the age of 17. During his debut season in the Goa Professional League, Milagres repaid the coach’s faith by becoming the top scorer. Gonsalves can work up a good pace on the flanks and pose a decent aerial threat when he drifts into the penalty box or while functioning as target man. He has been one of the key players in Salgaocar’s renaissance in recent times
Career Highlights
- Top scorer for Salgaocar in his debut season in the Goa Pro League.
- Winner, I-League and Federation Cup, with Salgaocar, 2011.
- Represented Goa/India at the Lusofonia Games at Macau in 2006.
Background
Growing up in the then-quiet village of Agassaim, Milagres had to go through a lot of hardship spending hours travelling to practice every day and finishing his stint with Kerala Blasters.
His love for football took its roots at the age of 9 when he enrolled himself for a summer coaching camp and from there on he never looked back. While studying in Don Bosco High School in Panaji, Milagres not only excelled in football but also in a variety of disciplines. As years went by, young Milagres realised that football was his calling and after stints with Don Bosco Oratory and Sao Miguel de Taleigao he decided to join Sporting Clube de Goa. Salgaocar F. C. was his boyhood club and he took his first step towards achieving his dream of playing for them when he moved on from Sporting to join their U-18 team. The young and energetic Milagres was part of a very successful team that won the U-18 category championship on two occasions.
Milagres’ impressive performances caught the eye of then Salgaocar coach Mariano Dias and he was soon promoted to the senior team. It was a joyous moment for the then 17-year-old Milagres, who did not lose track of his goal as he kept his feet on the ground and pushed forward. His hunger for success saw him top the goal scorer’s charts in the Goa Professional League in his debut season.
Being an athlete he is very quick on the sprint while also good in the air. But his secret weapon is versatility. Although he prefers to lead the pack playing upfront in the striker’s position he is ever willing to play in any possible position, depending on the team’s requirement.
The highlight of his career under the Green Colours came in 2010-11 when in a span of four months Salgaocar won two prestigious trophies — the I-League and the Federation Cup.
He was proud to be a part of the football contingent that represented Goa in the Lusofonia Games held in Macau in 2006.
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