Kerala Blasters FC’s young goalkeeper Som Kumar hopes to live up to the expectations of the supporters and win a trophy with the club this season.

Hailing from Bengaluru, Kumar joined the Blasters on a long-term deal until 2028 during the summer. The 19-year-old prodigy kick-started his professional career in Slovenia, where he played for NK Bravo U17, NK Krka U17, and Olimpija U19. Now, Kumar has returned to India and made his debut for the Yellow Army in the ongoing Durand Cup 2024. He has featured in three games for the Blasters and recorded two clean sheets, helping them reach the quarter-finals, where they will take on Bengaluru FC on Friday. 

Recently, Kumar sat down with the Kerala Blasters FC media team, where he shared his thoughts on signing for the club, his targets ahead of the coming season, and more.

The goalkeeper expressed his delight and enthusiasm in joining the Blasters.

Sharing his first-day experience at the club, an excited Kumar said, “Well, my first day was special. I was excited to join this big club. I watched so many videos of the fans, and I was always curious to see how it worked, and I was really excited to get started.”

He was amazed by the large fan base the club has built over the years. Kumar believes that the fans’ heartfelt support and energetic backing will help him deliver his best performance in goal.

“Before I joined Kerala Blasters FC, I wasn’t so aware of how big the fan group was, and now I think the expectations are really high. So I think that motivates me to play at my best,” Kumar commented.

The custodian has set his sights on achieving great success with Kerala Blasters FC. He also noted that their thousands of passionate and committed fans truly deserve a trophy for their unwavering support since day one.

“For this season, I think the goal is to win a trophy. I think the fans deserve it. They pay their hard-earned money to come and support us in the stadium. Almost every game is jam-packed. So I think, for them, we have to win a title, and I think they completely deserve it,” he remarked.

“Personally, I think, from a 19-year-old, it’s really big expectations, but I think it’s at the same time not an excuse. So I think to keep as many clean sheets as I can and keep the ball as far away as I can from the goal,” he signed off.

Watch the full interview here: