Panaji: 20-year-old Nathan Rodrigues from Arambol, Goa made headlines by scoring a vital goal in Mumbai City FC's 4-2 victory over Kerala Blasters FC. This win marks Mumbai's second triumph in the Indian Super League 2024-25 season.
Rodrigues scored in the 75th minute after a defensive mistake following a corner kick. His goal secured the win for his team and made him one of the youngest goal-scorers in ISL history for Mumbai City FC. Nathan received the ball and shot it into the bottom left corner, becoming the fourth youngest goal-scorer for the team in the ISL at 20 years old. The only younger players are Pranjal Bhumij (19 years, 217 days), Vikram Partap Singh (19 years, 319 days), and Gurkirat Singh (20 years, 165 days).
After the match, an excited Rodrigues expressed his joy, saying, “I’m really, really happy because I scored a goal and, moreover, we won. It feels great to win at home in front of our fans at the Mumbai Arena.” He credited the fans for their incredible support, adding, “The atmosphere was amazing, and it was a great feeling to see our fans cheering for us.”
Mumbai City FC’s coach, Petr Kratky, also praised Rodrigues, highlighting his potential. He said, “Fantastic. Nathan is scoring and has a goal-scoring opportunity every game, which makes us very happy. We will try to keep him in that form for the rest of the season.” Kratky acknowledged that while the team scored four goals, they still need to address the two goals they conceded. “We need to look at why we conceded two goals because that’s part of the game we shouldn’t allow,” he noted.
Discussing Rodrigues further, Kratky emphasized the importance of consistency for young players. “It’s a long journey for him. We know about his quality, and he will keep getting better. But there will also be setbacks, mistakes, and bad forms—that’s part of football,” he explained. “We are here to support him and help him become the best version of himself.”
Rodrigues joined Mumbai City FC before Kratky's arrival, and the coach believes in his potential. “He came to this club because he has the potential to play at a high level. He is a good footballer, but there are many things we need to improve,” said Kratky.
As Rodrigues continues to develop his skills, he has the full backing of his coach and teammates. “He will make mistakes, just like everyone does, but we have to support him. Sunday evening, he had some very good moments,” Kratky concluded.
