Sporting Clube De Goa has appointed Dipankur Sharma as its new Head Coach, an AFC ‘A’ License holder with more than a decade of coaching experience across India’s football pyramid. He takes charge as the club looks to build on last season’s Goa Pro League title and push further in the I-League 2.
Sharma was born in Goa. “Goa has always had a special connection with the beautiful game. My goal is to help these players believe in themselves, develop their game and compete at the highest level,” Sharma says on the appointment.
His coaching résumé spans India and abroad. He was most recently Head Coach of Chanmari FC in Aizawl, Mizoram, where in an earlier stint he took the club from I-League 2 to the I-League after a three week pre-season. Before that, he worked with Diamond Harbour FC in Kolkata, guiding their reserve side to a runner-up finish in the Calcutta Football League. His CV also includes Kodagu FC in Bengaluru, where he built a young squad around an aggressive, attacking style in the BDFA Super Division, Corbett FC’s 2022-23 I-League 2 campaign, and the U16 squad at Reliance Foundation’s Elite Youth Scheme, one of only two AFC 2-Star rated academies in India. He also coached at FutAcademy in Mexico City, one of the first Indian coaches to take a role abroad, where he started an initiative called “Covid Tactics” to keep players engaged tactically during the pandemic. He holds a BBA LLB from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, alongside a degree in Business Administration.
“He is a coach with a strong work ethic, a clear football philosophy and valuable experience across different levels of the game. We believe his approach aligns with our vision for the club,” notes Nathan Vaz, Director of Sporting Clube de Goa.
Sharma is already clear about the identity he wants to build at Sporting. “Intensity, aggression, teamwork,” he explains, describing his coaching style in three words. Asked whether attack or defence comes more naturally to him, he says attack. Asked to choose between goals or clean sheets, he picks goals. Asked whether he’d rather be in a title race or a promotion battle, he goes with the title race. “Everywhere I go, I see kids playing football, so that’s been a pleasure to watch,” he adds, on what has surprised him most about football in Goa.
“Sporting Clube de Goa is a club built on a rich history and a football culture to be proud of. To be given the opportunity to lead a club of this stature is a privilege, but also a responsibility I am determined to repay with hard work, ambition and results,” Sharma states on taking the job.
Sharma takes over a club with a proven pedigree, including a Super Cup title in 2005 and multiple state championships, most recently the Goa Pro League crown last season.
The squad has been strengthened with eight new additions this window. Midfielders Ashnoy Prince Gomes, 20, from Salcette, and Garrison Fernandes, 20, from Raia, join forwards Rutik Ramesh Bandodkar, 24, from Sanguem, and Aliton Furtado, 19, from Quepem, along with defender Delmon Rebello, 21, from Chinchinim. Goalkeeper Frevino Fernandes, from Nagoa, joins alongside striker Mevan Dias and midfielder Velanco Rodrigues, also from Nagoa.
“It’s a privilege for me to join Sporting. My duty is to help my team in defence and keep a clean sheet,” says Fernandes. “I feel very grateful for the opportunity to play for Sporting as they are the reigning champions of Goa and one of the best teams in India. I want to help my team in attack as well as defence,” adds Dias. “It’s a privilege for me to join Sporting. It’s the best club in Goa, and my duty is to help the team win the I-League,” notes Rodrigues.
The two Goa sides met on September 12, 2026, in a charity match at Raia Panchayat Ground, with proceeds going toward a good cause. Dempo struck first through Murphy Fernandes, but Sporting fought back to level through Sanson Pereira right at the stroke of half-time. The match finished 1-1 after full time, with Dempo edging it 4-3 on penalties in a tight, spirited contest for a good cause.
