Sporting CG facts for kids
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| Full name | Sporting Clube de Goa | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Flaming Orange | |||
| Short name | SCG | |||
| Founded | 1999 (as Cidade de Goa) | |||
| Ground | GMC Athletic Stadium (selected matches) | |||
| Capacity | 3,000 | |||
| Owner | City of Goa | |||
| Chairman | Peter Vaz | |||
| Head coach | Armando Colaco | |||
| League |
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| 2023–24 | I-League 2, 5th of 8 | |||
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| Departments of Sporting Clube de Goa | ||
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| Football (Men's) |
Futsal (Men's) |
Football (reserves & academy) |
Sporting Clube de Goa, also known as Sporting CG or Sporting Goa, is a professional football club from Panaji, Goa, in India. The team plays in the I-League 2, which is the third level of the Indian football league system. They also compete in the Goa Football League. For a long time, they played in the I-League, which was India's top football league.
The club was inspired by the famous Portuguese team Sporting CP and even has a similar logo. Sporting Goa has a great record in their home state, winning the Goa Football League many times, including in 2006, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021.
A special achievement for the club was winning the Super Cup without having won the main league or the Federation Cup first. In 2016, the club decided to leave the I-League.
Contents
History of the Club
How It All Started
Sporting CG, nicknamed "The Flaming Orange," was founded in 1999. It started as a team called Cidade de Goa. A businessman named Peter Vaz bought the team and renamed it Sporting Clube de Goa. The name was chosen to be like a famous sports club in Portugal, Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Making a Name for Themselves (1999–2010)
The club officially became a professional team in 1999. This happened after another local team, "Cidade dé Goa," stopped playing. Sporting Goa quickly became a strong team. In the 2001–02 Federation Cup, they surprised everyone by reaching the semi-finals, beating bigger teams like East Bengal FC.
After winning the second-division league in 2002–03, they were promoted to the top league, the National Football League. In the 2004–05 season, they almost won the championship but were beaten by Dempo on the very last day. That season was very difficult for the team because of a terrible bus accident that injured many of their key players. Despite this, they played heroically and finished in second place.
The team also reached the final of the Federation Cup in 2005 and 2006 but finished as the runner-up both times. By 2009, they had earned a third-place finish in the 2008–09 I-League.
Recent Years (2010–Present)
In 2010, the team was relegated, meaning they moved down to a lower league. But they didn't give up! They fought back and won promotion to the top league again in 2011. In the 2013–14 Indian Federation Cup, they reached the final but lost to Churchill Brothers.
In 2020, one of their players, Shanon Viegas, got a chance to play for a team in Portugal. In the 2020–21 Goa Professional League, Sporting Goa became champions with an amazing 9–0 win in their final match. Their futsal (a type of indoor football) team also won a state championship.
In August 2022, the famous Goan coach Armando Colaco joined the team. The club won the I-League 3 in 2024, which promoted them to the I-League 2. In May 2025, Sporting Goa won their eighth Goa Professional League title.
Club Logo and Team Colors
The Crest
The logo, or crest, of Sporting Clube de Goa looks very similar to the old crest of the Portuguese club Sporting CP. The main difference is that the Portuguese club's crest says "Sporting Portugal," while Sporting Goa's crest does not have any words on it. Also, Sporting Goa's crest uses dark green and white, just like the old Portuguese crest.
Even though the crest is green and white, the team's official colors are bright orange and white. This is why their nickname is "The Flaming Orange."
Kit Manufacturers and Shirt Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | Adidas | Models Construction Private Limited |
| 2012–2015 | Seventy Sports | |
| 2018–2024 | ||
| 2024– | SIX5SIX |
Stadiums Where They Play
Sporting Goa has played in several stadiums. For a long time, their main home ground was the Fatorda Stadium in Margao.
When they played in the 2011 I-League 2nd Division, they had to play at a stadium in Shillong. After returning to the top league, they went back to playing at Fatorda Stadium.
Later, the Duler Stadium in Mapusa became their home. This stadium got a special artificial grass surface in 2012. The team has also used the Tilak Maidan Stadium. As of 2025, they use the GMC Athletic Stadium and Ella Academy Ground for their home games.
Rivalries with Other Clubs
Being a top team in Goa, Sporting Clube de Goa has exciting rivalries with other Goan clubs. Their biggest rivals are Dempo, Churchill Brothers, and Salgaocar. Matches between these teams are always popular and are known as local derbies.
Youth Academy and Training
Developing Young Players
In 2013, Sporting Goa started its own football academy to train young players. The academy has teams for different age groups, from Under-10 to Under-20. The club hired coaches from Spain to help create a good training program for the young players.
The club also improved the football field at Don Bosco College in Panaji. They installed a special drainage system and a new sand-based surface. This helps the grass grow well and makes the field safer and better to play on.
Academy Trophies
- I-League U19
- Champions (1): 2010
- Taça Goa U18 League
- Champions (1): 2017
- Taça Goa U20 League
- Champions (1): 2018
Players
First-Team Players
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Trophies and Championships
League
- I-League
- Runners-up (1): 2004–05
- National Football League II
- Champions (1): 2002–03
- I-League 2
- Runners-up (1): 2010–11
- I-League 3
- Champions (1): 2023–24
- Goa Football League
- Champions (8): 2006–07, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24, 2024–25
Cup Competitions
- Indian Super Cup
- Champions (1): 2005
- Federation Cup
- Runners-up (3): 2005, 2006, 2013–14
- Durand Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2005
- Goa Governor's Cup
- Champions (2): 2005, 2007–08
- Goa Police Cup
- Champions (1): 2018
Managerial History
Alex Alvares (—2007)
Clifford Chukwuma (2007–2009)-
Roy Barreto (2009) - Vishwas Gaonkar (2009)
- Ekendra Singh (2010–2012)
Óscar Bruzón (2012–2014)- Mateus Costa (2014–2019)
- Francisco Vaz (2019–2022)
- Armando Colaco (2022—present)
Famous Players
The players listed below have played for their country's national team.
World Cup players
Anthony Wolfe (2013–2014)- Densill Theobald (2015–2016)
Other International Players
Louis Aniweta (2002–2003)
Nicholas Muyoti (2007–2008)- Boniface Ambani (2007–2008)
Lawrence Adjei (2007–2008)
Stanley Bernard (2010–2011)
James Moga (2011)
Boubacar Keita (2011–2013)
Joseph Amoah (2012–2013)
Koffi Dan Kowa (2014–2015)- Glenton Wolfe (2014–2015)
- Pablo Gallardo (2014–2015)
- Miguel Garcia (2015)
Mahmoud Amnah (2015–2016)- Ángel Berlanga (2013)
Other Sports Teams
Futsal Team
Sporting Goa also has a futsal team. Futsal is a version of football played indoors on a smaller field. The team played in the first-ever national Futsal Club Championship.
- Honours
- Goa Futsal Championship
- Champions (1): 2021
Hockey Team
The club has a women's field hockey team. They play in the Goa Women's Hockey League and have won the championship twice.
- Honours
- Goa Women's Hockey League
- Champions (2): 2014, 2015
See also
In Spanish: Sporting Clube de Goa para niños
- List of Goan State Football Champions
- List of football clubs in Goa
