Denzil Franco

Denzil Franco (born 30 June 1985) is an Indian professional footballer who last played as a defender for Bardez in the Goa Professional League.

Denzil Franco
Personal information
Full name Denzil Franco
Date of birth (1985-06-30) 30 June 1985[1]
Place of birth Saligao, Goa, India
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
2000–2003 Sesa FA
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Salgaocar
2005–2008 Sporting Goa
2008 Salgaocar
2008–2010 Mahindra United
2010–2014 Churchill Brothers
2014–2015 Atlético de Kolkata 10 (0)
2016 Goa 0 (0)
2017 Churchill Brothers 0 (0)
2017 Bardez
National team‡
2010–2014 India 12 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 December 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 December 2017

Franco currently works as a colour commentator and analyst, covering Indian football for Star Sports.[2]

Career

Early career

Born in Saligao, Goa, Franco began his footballing career through his father, Joe Franco, who was a footballer in Mumbai.[3] He soon joined the Sesa Football Academy and stayed their until he signed with Salgaocar of the National Football League.[3] He then joined Sporting Goa in 2005 and stayed with the club until 2008.[4] He rejoined Salgaocar temporarily for the Goa Professional League before signing with I-League side Mahindra United.[5][6]

Churchill Brothers

In November 2010, it was confirmed that Franco had signed with Churchill Brothers prior to the start of the 2010–11 season and after Mahindra United disbanded.[7] While with Churchill Brothers, Franco helped the club win the I-League in 2012–13.[8] He then soon after helped them complete the double when Churchill Brothers won the Federation Cup 2013–14.[9]

Later career

On 22 July 2014, Franco was one of many players available for selection during the 2014 ISL Inaugural Domestic Draft. He was selected by Atlético de Kolkata.[10] He made his debut for the Indian Super League side in the very first ISL match ever when Atlético de Kolkata took on Mumbai City at the Salt Lake Stadium. He started and played the full match as Kolkata won 3–0.[11] On 23 October 2014, in a match against Goa, Franco suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and had to be substituted off after 22 minutes. He proceeded to miss the rest of the season.[12]

After making ten appearances for Kolkata over two seasons, Franco moved back to his home state to play for Goa.[13] He appeared on the bench six times but didn't play at all during the season, mainly due to injury.[14] After his time with Goa, Franco returned to Churchill Brothers for the 2016–17 I-League.[15] After the season concluded, Franco signed with Goa Professional League side FC Bardez.[16]

International

Franco made his international debut for India on 17 February 2010 in the AFC Challenge Cup against Kyrgyzstan.[17] He was part of the India squad which won the 2012 Nehru Cup and even played in the final against Cameroon A.[18]

Honours

Club
Churchill Brothers[19]
Atlético de Kolkata[19]

International
India[19]
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gollark: In theory OC does, but for some reason its stuff seems to mysteriously turn off.
gollark: The server goes off and CC doesn't do persistence.
gollark: There is no no.
gollark: https://www.strawpoll.me/17179952/

References
  1. "Player Profiles". The All India Football Federation.
  2. "Franco Star Sports". Star Sports (Twitter).
  3. "Thehardtackle Exclusive: "diego Simeone Is a Friend" – Atletico De Kolkata's Denzil Franco". The Hard Tackle. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  4. "Transfers 2006". IndianFootball.de.
  5. "Luck-shines-on-Sporting". Herald Goa. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  6. "Mahindra United held to a 1-1 draw by Churchill Brother SC". The All India Football Federation. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. "I-League: Team Profile – Churchill Brothers". Goal.com. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  8. "Churchill Brothers are I-League champions 2012/13". Western India Football Association. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  9. "Maiden Federation Cup Title for Churchill Brothers". The All India Football Federation. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. "1. Atletico de Kolkata". Goal.com. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  11. "Atletico de Kolkata 3-0 Mumbai City". Soccerway.
  12. Mitra, Atanu. "Denzil Franco Ruled Out of Indian Super League". Goal.com. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  13. "Denzil Franco joins FC Goa, goalkeeper Kattimani to follow". Times of India. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  14. Bera, Kaustav (16 December 2016). "Indian Super League 2016 Analysis: Fc Goa - How the Gaurs Looked Wayward From the Very Beginning". Goal.com. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  15. Noronha, Anselm (6 January 2017). "I-League 2016/17 Team Profile: Under-prepared Churchill Brothers Could Pay the Price". Goal.com. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  16. "Transfers 2017". KolkataFootball.
  17. "India 1-2 Kyrgyzstan". Soccerway.
  18. "Cameroon A 2-2 India". Soccerway.
  19. "Denzil Franco". Soccerway.
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