Brazilian football legend Zico has been signed as head coach of the Indian Super League franchise Football Club of Goa
Zico
New Delhi: In a development which will shoot up the profile of Indian Super League, legendary Brazilian Zico was on Tuesday roped in as the head coach of FC Goa for the franchise-based football tournament which is scheduled to begin from October 12.
"FC Goa is proud to announce that the legendary Brazilian Football player Arthur Antunes Coimbra (Zico) has agreed to be the Manager (Head Coach) of their team that will play in the Indian Super League," the franchise said in a statement.
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Zico signed the contract Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the franchise announced.
Former Brazil star Zico
Representatives of FC Goa will travel to Brazil shortly to help Zico complete the visa formalities and bring him to Goa.
The ISL's inaugural edition is slated for Oct 12-Dec 20.
Franchise owners Shrinivas Dempo, Dattaraj Salgaocar and Venugopal Dhoot were happy with Zico agreeing to manage the side.
"The owners said that this was a proud moment for the franchise and they were honoured that a football legend of the stature of Zico had agreed to coach FC Goa," the statement added.
"Zico's signing was made possible due to the efforts of Amaury Nunes and Beto D'Solva," the release added.
Zico, often called 'White Pele', made 71 international appearances from 1976 to 1986. The former midfielder, considered one of the best playmakers and free-kick taker of the late 1970s and early 1980s, scored 48 goals for Brazil.
He had also stints as coach of national teams of Japan (2002-06) and Iraq (2011-12) besides being at the helm of club sides like Kashima Antlers of Japan (1999), Fenerbahce of Turkey (2006-08) and CSKA Moscow (2009) and Al Gharafa of Qatar (2013-14).
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