FC Goa sign Ishan Pandita and Daniel Lalhlimpuia ahead of ISL 2025-26 season

FC Goa have signed strikers Ishan Pandita and Daniel Lalhlimpuia ahead of the 2025/26 Indian Super League season, the club announced on Sunday.

The move marks Pandita’s return as Gaur after a stint in the Kerala Super League with Malappuram FC. He joined FC Goa during the early years of his ISL career and quickly made an impact as a super-sub, gaining a reputation for scoring crucial goals from the bench.

His late goals played a key role in extending FC Goa’s famous unbeaten run of 2020/21 and showcased his knack for being in the right place at the right time when the team needed him most.

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After his time with the Gaurs, the forward represented Jamshedpur FC and Kerala Blasters FC in the Indian Super League. His most notable success came with Jamshedpur FC during the 2021-2022 season, when he was part of the squad that lifted the ISL League Shield.

Speaking about the signing, FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez said: «Ishan Pandita, despite being young, is at the best age to play football and already has a lot of experience in the ISL. One of his best moments also came with the national team and in his first season in India he scored many goals with FC Goa. The next 13 matches will be very different with many teams playing without foreign players in this position. Players like Ishan will have a great opportunity to show their quality. He is strong in the air, has a very good shot and will be a valuable addition to our young team.”

On the other hand, Lalhlimpuia has been part of the Indian Super League ecosystem since 2016 and has played for several clubs such as Mumbai City FC, Jamshedpur FC, Odisha FC, Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC.

Published on February 1, 2026