Vasco da Gama (Goa), Sep 24: FC Goa can be the ISL champions this year, the team's marquee player and former Brazil captain Lucio said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at a media event here, Lucio also said that the FC Goa stint is a new challenge for him and that he had accepted the brief after being coaxed by Brazilian football legend Zico, who is the coach of the Goa-based Indian Super League (ISL) team.

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"They are all good as a team, that's what I feel. It does not depend on an individual player. I feel the team can perform well this season and can be champions," he said.

"It was a new challenge for me. I spoke to Zico and he explained to me the nature of the league how it was and the discussion with him was what made me join this project here at FC Goa," he said, to queries about how he arrived at the Goa ISL team for Season 2.

Asked about FC Goa's team strengths, Lucio said: "I feel the group is very good they all come from different backgrounds and train hard. They have gelled very well as a team."

IANS