The phenomenal success of Dempo Sports Club over the years has firmly established the Goan Club as the best team in the country.
It’s not only the ‘incomparable style’ but flamboyance and glamour which has been an integral part that has made Dempo so much visible in any part of the country.

These unique features are bound to produce attraction and it’s not entirely astonishing that the ‘Army’ of fans of the Blues has increased to gigantic proportions.
Of all the others, it’s the Dempo followers who are basking in the glory, and quiet deservedly. Toni Rodrigues finds out how deep their allegiance and obligation towards their favourite team is. In a colossal faction, finding a few is like the proverbial needle in the haystack but Valente Dias from Nuvem, Antonio Numes of Verna and Vasco resident Caitano Gracias (Pep) are the standouts who can swear by their blood for Dempo. Here’s how they can be described.
VALENTE DIAS: Such is his compulsion that he still cannot take to heart the defeat of his ‘Dempo’ in the AFC Cup match at Hyderabad. He broke down and it needed a considerable consoling from others to bring him back to normality as he was the cheer leader, a perfect journey man.
Valente has been a Dempo fan right from the childhood days when his late father carried him along for the matches. He still remembers how his Dad would react to comments from opposition fans and how he feels being part of the clan of supporters. “Even if you tell me to swap Dempo for a fortune, you’ll be the loser. I cannot even consider it, I will say, ‘thank you very much and be on your way’,” says Valente.
“I can’t really express myself how much I feel about being with the champions, I am very proud of Dempo. It’s only we who have the majority of Goan players, who actually play and are not there just to make up the numbers.
“I must take this opportunity to congratulate Armando and the players for making us the champions again, and we assure that we’ll be with Dempo any time any moment.” Valente never missed a single match of Dempo this year. He’s a modest taxi owner but despite the humble dwellings his faithfulness remains unmatched.
ANTONIO NUNES: A lecturer at Fr Agnel’s, Verna and also a musician, but when it comes to Dempo, the son of a ‘Bhatcar’ who cannot think beyond Dempo, has continued where his late father had left. Antonio has been a Dempo admirer since the age of seven and he openly confesses that his loyalty will end only after he goes down ‘under’. Nunes can be pardoned for his brag, but in true sense his illustration of Dempo’s rhythmic play is factual reality. “Is there any other team which plays with so much fluidity? It’s only Dempo who have the artistry. It’s a legacy for us and that’s why we are champions by some distance.
“Now we’ll be in the AFC Cup and we want our team to get all the benefits, but sadly the Nehru stadium has no floodlights and we’ll have to play outside Goa. Dempo are the Indian representation and every Goan should be proud of it, but the club which is the symbol of the country in the AFC Cup has to play elsewhere; this is a pity and a big shame for the government. When I went to Sharjah last time I felt really depressed. If we had played the first match in Goa then Dempo would’ve been in the AFC Champions League. There’s lot of injustice done to Dempo and we feel that at least this season our champions will get the opportunity to play under floodlights here.
“Dempo have been the flag bearers for the state. We have given the maximum number of players to the national team, and Dempo deserves far much better,” demands Nunes, who is a typical Dempo man who travels with Demo far and wide but his real adherence came to the fore when he threw away a flight ticket to come down by bus with his Dempo friends all the way from Hyderabad just to be part of the journey.
CAITANO GRACIAS (PEP): The most easily identified fan for any Dempo match and one who can be pertinently recognised with his ‘azzurri’ attire and the trademark bandanas. Pep makes sure that he arrives early, he has a special gear which includes a big Dempo flag, and sits in his preferred seat at the Nehru stadium and waves the blue and white banner with pride.
Of all the other hardcore supporters, Pep has the acceptability among the players and that’s the reason one will find him pictured with the ‘Indian Football Kings’ on numerous occasions.
Caitano is an ardent fan of coach Armando Colaco and he describes the long-serving Dempo trainer as the No 1 coach in India. “For me he is the ultimate man. The moment he stepped in for us the entire complexity changed. He has made us what we are today. We won the title with ease and I had little doubt that we won’t miss out this time. I was damn sure about it because we were much stronger than last year.
“Now we’re in the AFC Cup and we have a great chance to win it this time. Armando has gained in knowledge and he knows what to do, and we all pray that we’ll be successful in Asia.
“Our boys have given us everything; we can only appreciate them, they’ve a marvellous team and they deserve the highest accolades for heir wonderful services to Dempo throughout. We can only provide the backup and support but the players are the real heroes.”
Dempo have cut out their objectives with the AFC Cup being the top priority but with the hardcore and devoted followers like Pep the dream can be a reality soon.