Pune FC capture Sporting Goa Captain Matthew Gonsalves

Report and Photo:Pune FC Media

Pune FC has completed the signing of Sporting Clube de Goa captain and defender Matthew Gonsalves for the upcoming season.

The highly-experienced Goan joins Pune FC after spending ten years with Sporting and will be a valuable addition to Karim Bencherifa’s squad.

Matthew thus becomes the sixth new player signed this season after Ryuji Sueoka, Luciano Sabrosa, Snehashis Chakraborty, Raju Yumnam and Jessel Carneiro.

Pune FC Head Operations, Chirag Tanna said: “Mathew gave us a torrid time when we played against him last year. He is an versatile defender with ‘a never say die’ attitude and he will be a valuable addition to our squad.”

Thirty-five-year-old Matthew spent his early days as a footballer playing for various local teams. However, his career really took off when he was signed by Sporting Goa from Mormugao Port Trust in 2004. Since then, the Goan has been the mainstay of Sporting for ten seasons in a row while also captaining the side.

During his long stint at Sporting, Matthew has represented Goa in the 2008 Santosh Trophy and was also a part of the India team at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific.

At Pune FC, Matthew becomes the fourth Goan in the squad this season joining state-mate Anthony D’Souza, Velington Rocha and the recently signed Jessel Carneiro.