FC Goa announced the permanent signing of goalkeeper Lara Sharma from Bengaluru FC for an undisclosed fee. The 24-year-old has committed to a multi-year deal with the club, extending his stay beyond the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Sharma, a product of the prestigious Tata Football Academy, began his professional journey with Indian Arrows in 2017. He then played for ATK FC's Reserves team before joining Bengaluru FC in 2020. During the 2021-22 season, Sharma was the first-choice goalkeeper for Bengaluru FC's Reserves in the Durand Cup, leading them to the semi-finals where they were narrowly defeated by eventual champions FC Goa on penalties.
In the same season, Sharma made his debut for Bengaluru FC's First team, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 victory against Chennaiyin FC in his Indian Super League (ISL) debut. He followed this with another clean sheet in a 1-0 win over East Bengal FC. Most recently, Sharma was on loan at Kerala Blasters, where he played a crucial role in securing their playoff spot in the 2023-24 season.
Expressing his excitement about joining FC Goa, Sharma said, "I am thrilled to be part of FC Goa. The club has a fantastic reputation for its style of play and passionate fan base, and I can't wait to start this new chapter of my career with the team."
He added, "Everyone I talked to praised the professional football culture at the club, so I had no hesitation in signing. I'm also eager to work with Coach Manolo Marquez, who has been instrumental in developing many young players."
Sharma emphasized his ambition, stating, "During every break, I aim to win the upcoming season and return home with pride. We have a strong squad that can show where FC Goa belongs and what we deserve to achieve. As long as I’m part of FC Goa, this mindset will remain unchanged."
Head Coach Manolo Marquez welcomed the new signing, commenting, "I am very happy to welcome Lara to FC Goa. He is a promising young goalkeeper with many excellent qualities, and is poised to become one of India's top goalkeepers in the coming years."
Marquez praised Sharma's abilities, saying, "He performs well in goal, stays composed when playing with his feet outside the box, and shows courage in all his actions - all of them essential traits for our style of play."
