{"id":107148,"date":"2025-11-04T17:17:59","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T11:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/?p=107148"},"modified":"2025-11-04T17:17:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T11:47:59","slug":"brison-fernandes-makes-history-as-first-indian-to-score-in-afc-champions-league-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/?p=107148","title":{"rendered":"Brison Fernandes makes history as first Indian to score in AFC Champions League 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Goa Khabar : In a moment that will be etched in Indian football history, FC Goa\u2019s young midfielder Brison Fernandes became the first Indian player to score in the AFC Champions League 2, achieving the milestone against Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Nassr, a club that features global icons such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jo\u00e3o F\u00e9lix and Sadio Man\u00e9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Brison, who hails from the quiet village of Loutolim in South Goa, the goal meant more than just a personal triumph, it was a proud moment for his club, his state, and the entire nation.\u201cIt\u2019s definitely one of the best moments of my football career,\u201d said Brison, still beaming after the match. \u201cTo score not just for my club but also for my country is a very proud moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although FC Goa\u2019s result didn\u2019t go in their favour, Brison\u2019s strike made headlines across Asia, symbolizing the growing influence of Indian footballers on the continental stage. Even Al Nassr\u2019s coach, Lu\u00eds Castro, praised FC Goa\u2019s spirited performance, remarking on the team\u2019s determination and tactical discipline and mentioned, \u201cWe played against a side that refused to lose\u201d. Brison humbly echoed those sentiments, saying, \u201cIt would\u2019ve been better if my team could win or at least draw level. We had our chances, but our opponent was of very high quality. The important thing is we gave a fight, and I think we left our fans and the country proud. We hope to continue that in our remaining games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brison\u2019s composure on the pitch belies his youthful energy off it. At just 21, he already represented the dreams of countless young footballers across India. Asked about sharing the pitch with world-class talents like Man\u00e9 and potentially Ronaldo, he admitted, \u201cYes, at the start you do feel a bit star-struck, as a football fan you can\u2019t help it. But once the game starts, nothing else matters except giving your best and getting a result.\u201d<\/p>\n

For someone whose idol is Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring against Ronaldo\u2019s club was poetic. \u201cIt would be a dream come true for any footballer to score against him,\u201d Brison said with a smile. \u201cEven though he didn\u2019t play, I\u2019m sure he watched the game. Knowing that he might\u2019ve seen my goal gives me a lot of joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brison\u2019s journey from rural Goa to the continental stage is one of persistence and family support. Growing up in Loutolim, he often had to cycle several kilometres just to find a football ground. \u201cMy dad works in the Coca-Cola industry and my mom is a housewife,\u201d he shared. \u201cSometimes my father dropped me to training, sometimes I cycled. There weren\u2019t proper pitches nearby, but that never stopped me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was during a kindergarten fancy-dress competition that Brison first dressed as a footballer and his father later gifted him a Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United jersey in 2008, sealing his fate as a footballer. \u201cFrom that day, I wanted to become like him. My dad has been my biggest supporter; he\u2019s always been there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now a mainstay at FC Goa, a club he has been part of since his under-15 days, Brison\u2019s loyalty to his hometown team runs deep. When asked if he\u2019d consider joining another big Indian club, he replied firmly, \u201cI\u2019m focused on playing and representing my hometown club. It\u2019s a great pride and honour for me to represent the people of my state and our wonderful fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the future, Brison\u2019s goals are as grounded as they are ambitious. \u201cI want to keep contributing to FC Goa, keep getting as many minutes as possible, and bring more glory and silverware to my people and my state,\u201d he said. \u201cI also want to help the Indian National Team in whatever way I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Off the field, Brison remains a simple Goan boy, spending time with friends and enjoying life\u2019s quieter moments. But when the whistle blows, he embodies the next generation of Indian footballers as disciplined, passionate, and fearless on the biggest stages.<\/p>\n

When his shot found the back of the net against Al Nassr, Brison recalls the moment vividly: \u201cIt was hard to process, it\u2019s all adrenaline. But a few seconds later, when I saw the ball in the net and heard the sound of the crowd, it hit me. That sound, that moment, it\u2019s something I\u2019ll never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brison Fernandes\u2019 goal wasn\u2019t just one for FC Goa, it was one for India. A moment that inspires young footballers across the country to dream big, believe in themselves, and know that from small villages, great players can rise to make history.<\/p>\n

With momentum surging on the domestic front, FC Goa now turn their attention back to continental duty as they travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Nassr FC in a pivotal AFC Champions League Two Group D fixture on November 5, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Goa Khabar : In a moment that will be etched in Indian football history, FC Goa\u2019s young midfielder Brison Fernandes became the first Indian player to score in the AFC Champions League 2, achieving the milestone against Saudi Arabian powerhouse Al Nassr, a club that features global icons such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jo\u00e3o F\u00e9lix and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25169,"featured_media":107149,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,155],"tags":[3794],"class_list":["post-107148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-6","category-155","tag-featured"],"read":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/25169"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=107148"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107150,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107148\/revisions\/107150"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/107149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=107148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=107148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=107148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}