Edu Bedia to return to Spain after terminating contract with Gokulam Kerala
FC Goa legend and Gokulam Kerala FC midfielder Edu Bedia has decided to terminate his contract with the Kozhikode-based club and return home to Spain.
It is reported that he has a deal in place with Gimnastica de Torrelavega, who compete in the fourth tier of the footballing structure in Spain.
Bedia leaves India after having spent seven years here. Six of those seven years were spent at the Fatorda in Goa, where he is deemed a club legend.
The 34-year-old, who is known for his silky touches and commanding presence in midfield, will be dearly missed by everyone who saw him playing in this country.
Although it is incorrect to assume that he was losing his grip on the game at the advanced age of 34, his demotion from FC Goa to Gokulam Kerala in the I-League earlier this season seemed to say so.
Bedia did not have much of an impact for the Malabarians this season but they will surely miss the experience that he brought to the fore.
Edu Bedia became a footballing icon in Goa
The 34-year-old, who was born in Santander, arrived in India from Real Zaragoza at the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
Although he had initially signed a two-year deal, Edu Bedia eventually ended up staying in Margao for six years.
Among other highlights, Bedia was also named as the skipper of FC Goa ahead of the 2020-21 season.
He will be remembered most fondly for being the first player to score a goal for an Indian club in the AFC Champions League when he did so for the Gaurs against Persepolis FC in a 1-2 defeat the same season.
He was the longest-serving foreign player for the Gaurs when he parted ways with them ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Bedia played a vital role in the club’s numerous successes, including leading the team to the ISL 2019-20 League Winners’ Shield, the 2019 Super Cup, and the 2021 Durand Cup.