Guwahati: For 23-year-old FC Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari, Sunday night’s AIFF Super Cup victory was far more than another medal. As he helped his team edge past East Bengal 6-5 in a dramatic penalty shootout to retain the title, memories from Guwahati quietly resurfaced. The win, he said, was a tribute he had long prepared for—one meant for the late cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
Hrithik first met Zubeen at age 14 during a trial at the Gauhati University ground, where the singer was taking part in an exhibition match. “I was struck by his humility and down-to-earth nature,” he told The Assam Tribune on Monday. Over the years, as Hrithik rose through age-group football and into FC Goa’s senior ranks, he carried a hope of meeting Zubeen again—this time with an achievement to his name. “I wish I could tell him I met him 11 years ago. But that didn’t happen,” he said. “This victory is my tribute to him.”
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Since joining FC Goa in 2019, Hrithik has steadily progressed, making his senior debut in the 2021 Durand Cup with a clean sheet. His 190 cm frame, composure, and sharp technique have earned praise from coaches, including AFC Pro Licence holder Gumpe Rime, who considers him among India’s brightest young talents.
Facing stars like Sadio Mane and Joao Felix in the AFC Champions League Two deepened his experience, while a call-up to India’s CAFA Nations Cup squad earlier this year marked another milestone.
As he prepares for FC Goa’s final AFC Champions League Two match on December 24, Hrithik carries with him not just momentum, but a memory—of a boy inspired, a promise kept, and a victory dedicated to someone who once touched his dreams.
