New Delhi, India, May 11, 2021: One of the unsung heroes of Indian football’s golden generation, Olympian Fortunato Franco, passed away on Monday, May 10 in Goa, reports the Olympic Channel. He was 84.
Fortunato Franco played at a time when the quartet of PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulsidas Balaram and Jarnail Singh dominated the Indian football scene.
A midfielder, Franco was a key member of the Indian football team that won the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. He was also part of the Indian squad that competed at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Franco was also in the Indian football team that finished second at the 1962 Asian Cup -- India’s best performance at the event so far -- and runners-up in the 1964 Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
He went on to win 26 caps for India before a knee injury ended his career in 1966.
The Sports Authority of India said: “With a deep sense of sorrow and grief, we inform you that Sh. Fortunato Franco has passed away in Goa today morning (May 10). He played an important role in the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games gold-medal winning team. He also captained the Maharashtra team, which won the Santosh Trophy,1963-64.”
Franco served as the senior public relations manager for the Tata Group before retiring from work in 1999.
Franco is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
Source: https://olympics.com