Want to be first captain to lift trophy for Kerala Blasters, says Adrian Luna

New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): Kerala Blaster’s star striker Adrian Luna is keen to break the team’s winless record in India’s major domestic football tournaments and wants to be the first KBFC captain to lift the trophy for the club.

In an interview with ANI, Luna shared his memorable moments, his role in integrating new players and his hopes for the future with KBFC.

“I want to be the first captain to lift a trophy for the club – that would be amazing. My personal goal is to get the trophy for the club because the people and fans are all waiting for this moment,” he said.

Luna’s journey with Kerala Blasters began on a high note in 2021-2022 when he scored six goals and the team reached the final of the Indian Super League (ISL).

“I think the first season when we reached the final. It was not easy to lose it because when you are in the final you want to win it,” he said.

It was his debut season in India and reaching the final was a significant achievement for the team. Luna looks back fondly on that season as one of his favourites.

Luna, a footballer from Uruguay, was named captain of Kerala Blasters last season (2023-24). He plays as an attacking midfielder and forward and has earlier played for Espanyol and Melbourne City. The thirty-two-year-old footballer has scored 13 goals in ISL in 52 matches. Kerala Blasters (KBFC) have never won a trophy but have reached the ISL final thrice – 2014, 2016, and 2021-2022.

Luna shared a deeply personal memory from his second ISL season. His six-year-old daughter passed away on April 9, 2022, after a battle with cystic fibrosis.

He recalled scoring a goal in the first match. “I scored a goal and that was an emotional moment for me, one of the best memories in Kerala Blasters,” he said.

This season several new players joined Kerala Blasters FC and Luna touched on the importance of developing chemistry among players and how the team has worked on integrating new members.

“We had a camp in Thailand which was very important for everybody to get to know each other, play, train, have fun on and off the field,” he explained.

He also spoke of the team shaping up for the Durand Cup which started last month.

“You have to adjust many things, you have to try to win but overall the new players are doing well,” he noted.

Luna spoke about the team’s tactical framework of 4-3-3 formation and his role as an attacking midfielder.

“It is a different position but I have played there before in different countries. My role is more or less the same to help my team win games. You have to be a leader like an example, running on the pitch, doing everything for the team and they will follow you,” he stated.

Having played in various countries, Luna has adapted well to life in Kerala. He described himself as a “home guy,” someone who enjoys spending time with his family rather than going out. “I don’t like to go out much. I like to stay in my room, in my home with my family. It’s easy when you have your family, you are not alone,” he said.

“In Kerala, I feel the affection from the people and I am in love with the state, with our stadium also. When we play there, it’s amazing,” he added.