According to Marcus Margulhao, Indian Women’s League (IWL) star Karishma Shirvoikar has extended her stay at Kickstart FC. The forward cum midfielder, despite interest from other teams, pledged her loyalty to the Bengaluru outfit deciding to stay for one more season. Founded in 2016, Kickstart FC is one of the clubs that give utmost importance to youth development.
The 22-year-old Goan forward has been a revelation for Kickstart FC. Her attacking prowess has been instrumental in the team’s success. The ladies in green finished third in the table, behind the champions Odisha FC and the most successful team of IWL Gokulam Kerala FC. Last season, she notched an impressive 8 goals, including a memorable hat-trick against East Bengal FC and a brace against Sports Odisha. She finished as the Indian top scorer of the league and second overall top scorer behind Fazila Ikwaput.
The player has 9 months more remaining in her contract and despite having offers from other clubs she decided to show her loyalty to her club Kickstart FC by extending her contract. The club showed faith in her and she delivered for them on the national stage.
Hailing from Odexel, a small coastal village in Goa, Karishma Shirvoikar’s footballing journey began on the very beaches where she spent her childhood. Playing alongside her male friends, her talent first shone brightly when she emerged as the top scorer in the inaugural season of the Goa Women’s Football League in 2017. That season, she was a vital cog in the Panjim Dolphins’ championship run, her contributions playing a key role in their title victory.
This early success earned her a call-up to the national team, where she was selected for the 20-member Indian squad that participated in the U-17 BRICS Football Cup in 2018. The following year, her talent garnered international recognition as she received an invitation to train with the Spanish club Palamos CF, followed by trials with three clubs in the Catalunya region. This opportunity represented a dream chance for the young forward to secure a professional contract abroad. However, fate had other plans. The COVID-19 pandemic struck in April 2020, forcing her to shelve her European aspirations.
After that, she didn’t give up and continued to her hard work. She signed her first professional contract with Gokulam Kerala FC, where she played a crucial part by scoring 6 goals for them and winning two IWL titles. Later she spent one season with Mumbai Knights before joining Kickstart FC. Her decision to re-sign with Kickstart FC suggests a mutually beneficial partnership, with both player and club poised for continued growth.
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