Panaji: Christian Borrego was a big hit when he walked into the FC Goa headquarters in Porvorim on Tuesday. He was there for a pre-match media interaction, but his presence made heads turn.Staffers stopped whatever they were doing. At least one sought his jersey, “whenever possible,” and there was some work to do for the club’s social media pages.Of course, there was a customary appeal to the fans too.All this not surprising for a player who is now the biggest attraction at the club. Christian, or Chiki as he is known, has scored in four consecutive matches for Goa, both in the domestic Indian Super League (ISL) and AFC Challenge League. The only time he did not find the back of the net was in the AFC Champions League Two playoff against FK Arkadag. But expecting a player to fire a day after joining training is too much of an ask.“I am enjoying the start, but this is a long journey,” Chiki told TOI. “I am very excited at scoring these goals because it’s important for a striker. But I think the most important is the team and our ability to secure victories. We must get wins for the team.”It’s not lost on anyone that Goa have won only one of their five competitive games this season. And Chiki is keen to turn things around, starting with the clash against SC Delhi at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday.“In football, team is the most important part. I enjoy the thrill of scoring goals, but nothing matches the thrill of securing a win. If I score, it only means the team is closer to winning a match,” said Chiki.Born in Madrid, Chiki got his nickname as a youngster when a teammate called him ‘Chiquitín’ or short guy in Spanish. “I grew up with the name and it stuck. I am fine with it, comfortable.”The striker spent a long time playing in Spain and has represented clubs including Rayo Vallecano B, CF Fuenlabrada, UD San Sebastián de los Reyes, and AD Alcorcón. Given his form, it’s no surprise that he had offers to come to India, but it was not until this season that he said yes to Goa.“I’ve known Indian football because several of my friends have played in India and they have had good things to say about FC Goa and ISL. It also helps that there are Spanish players here (at FC Goa). The adaptation is much better,” said Chiki.
