Former India international footballer Fortunato Franco inhaled his last at 84 years old on May 10 in Goa. The midfielder was a vital part of the Indian football team which won the Gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games.
Fortunato Franco left the world at the age of 84
The AIFF affirmed the information on his passing yet didn’t indicate the reason for his demise. Franco is survived by his significant other, child and little girl. One of India’s best mid-fielders (half-back according to 1960s speech), Franco was a part of Indian football’s brilliant period between 1960-64. Franco was in the Indian team of the 1960 Rome Olympics squad however didn’t get a game yet was a necessary part of the 1962 Asiad gold-winning team in Jakarta. He played for India, including the 1962 Asian Cup, where India wrapped runners-up, and silver and bronze-winning medal-winning sides of 1964 and 1965 Merdeka Cup.
The most memorable performance of Franco was in the 1962 Asian Games where Indian football saw its best hour beating South Korea 2-1 in the last in Jakarta watched by 100,000 people. During the years when the more celebrated quartet of PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulsidas Balaram and Jarnail Singh hoarded the spotlight, Franco would everlastingly be associated with giving the assist that empowered Jarnail to gesture home the winner. Domestically, Franco, a Goan, played his greatest years for the amazing Tata Football Club in Mumbai. Truth be told, he worked in the organization’s Public Relations department for forty years prior to resigning in 1999. He was likely the tallest name in Maharashtra football having captained the state for eight progressive years somewhere in the range of 1959 and 1966 in the Santosh Trophy and was the architect of their title win in 1964.
During his last a long time in competitive football, he played for Goan goliaths Salgaocar however a knee injury finished his career even before he was 30 years of age. Had Franco not resigned from international football in 1965, numerous old folks accept that he was a contender to become India skipper for the 1966 Asian Games in Bangkok. “It is destroying to hear that Mr. Fortunato Franco is no more. Franco belonged to the Indian football’s brilliant generation who played a pivotal role in assisting India with winning the Gold Medal in 1962 Asian Games,” AIFF president Patel was cited as saying in a media release. AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said: “Mr. Fortunato Franco will be alive in his accomplishments. His performance in India winning the Gold Medal in the 1962 Asian Games was vital. “Franco is irreplaceable as a footballer and has been an inspiration to such countless generations. My condolences to his family. We petition God for his soul to find happiness in the hereafter.”