Adrian Luna on loan uncertainty, ownership change and his return to Kerala Blasters
Adrian Luna told The Hindu in a virtual interview on Thursday that he felt relieved to return to Kerala Blasters after a loan spell in Indonesia that followed uncertainty around the Indian Super League, in comments published on October 29, 2026. The 34-year-old spoke about his time away, the club’s ownership change and the renewed presence of the supporters around the team.
"The people are amazing with me, and I feel at home here. I was coming back from a workout and he was waiting outside… so he picked me up and said, ‘Come on, Luna… let’s go, I’ll give you a lift’. It was a five-minute drive, and it was amazing," Luna told The Hindu, describing an impromptu ride with a local fan after a gym session. He said he missed the warmth of the fans when Kerala asked him to go on loan last season, a period that coincided with broader changes: the State added an "m" to its name, the club welcomed new owners from the UAE, and the Indian Super League is now run by its member clubs.
Luna, who the article describes as "a household name in Keralam since 2021," said he was especially happy to be back and spoke about the matchday atmosphere he had missed. "Yes, I missed them so much. I missed being with my teammates, but especially the stadium itself. I have said many times, my favourite place here in Kerala is the stadium when it’s full. The environment with everyone cheering for the team is just the best part of football. It brings incredible energy to the players," he said, adding that when the starting XI was announced "I heard my name was the loudest one, and I appreciate that. I know the love the fans have toward me, and it’s mutual."
On his loan to Persik in Indonesia, Luna said playing was not difficult because "it’s the thing that I love the most," and explained his decision as one of gratitude to the previous owner who had helped him earlier. He recalled telling that owner: "I don’t want to go but I will go because you are asking me to help you and you had helped me when I was in the worst time of my life, and I’m a grateful guy… so I will go even if I don’t want to" and quoted his mother advising him: "Listen, these people helped you when you were very low, so you have to pay them back." He also confirmed there were outside approaches but said, "There were some conversations, but honestly, I didn’t want to take them. After playing for five years in Kerala, it didn’t make sense to go to another Indian club. Plus, I still had one year left on my contract with KBFC."
Luna described the communication around his return, saying: "It wasn’t a phone call from Ashley; we just spoke via WhatsApp. He told me we would start soon. The actual news about returning came from the club about the [ownership] situation getting sorted, and it made me really happy." He said players learned about much of the change through the media, and relayed a message he received from the ex-owner, Nikhil Bhardwaj: "Adrian, we’re going to sell the club and we appreciate all your work", adding that he remained grateful to Bhardwaj and his father for their support.
Addressing the season’s disruption, Luna said delays affected the squad’s mindset but that training restores focus: "If you have to wait six months for a deal to close, of course it affects you because you don’t know when or if the training will start. But once you start training, you forget about all of that. You try to be as professional as possible. Football is football; it doesn’t matter who the owner is — when you step on the pitch, you do what you know how to do and enjoy it." He accepted the coach’s decision to hand the armband to Indian players, saying: "My role doesn’t change whether I wear the captain’s armband or not. It’s something the coach decided to give to Indian players, but my commitment, respect, and leadership remain exactly the same."
On squad composition and coaching demands, Luna praised the new foreign signings and urged patience: "I think they are great players. Of course, they need time to adapt to the club, the country, the culture, and the humidity, which is always tough here. My advice is to be patient with them. We have signed a great group of foreign players, and I have no doubt they will help us achieve our goals." He added that Westwood expects maximum effort: "The most important thing he demands — and he is very demanding — is to give your all on the pitch. You can have good days or bad days, but if you give your all and stick to the game plan, he will be pleased."
Luna spoke about mentoring youngsters such as Mohammed Sanan: "He is a great kid with a lot of potential. I don’t know if he realises how far he can go, but it depends entirely on him. He’s young, full of power, energy, and quality. My advice to him is to listen to the older players who have experience. When I was 16, a Sporting Director told me, ‘I wish I had your age and my experience’. At the time, I didn’t understand it, but now I do." Reflecting on personal challenges, he said: "No, my toughest season was when I injured my knee [December 2023]. We had a great start; I was scoring and assisting, and then I got injured in training. The journey of an injured player is very lonely — going through surgery and rehab is tough."
Luna rejected the notion that fans would abandon the club: "No, not at all. You will stand with your club like you will stand with your family. When you truly love a club, you don’t walk away; you stand by them. I knew the fans were disappointed because of the results, which is totally fair. However, I had no doubt they would keep supporting us because this club is a way of life for them." He said he plans to spend time with family after retirement: "For the first few years, I will spend time with my family. I’ve been abroad for so long, and I want to enjoy my kids’ birthdays, Christmas, and New Year with them. After that, we’ll see what happens [laughs]." On legacy he added, "I never really think about that. Everyone thinks differently. Some will remember me as a good guy, some won’t, so I don’t really worry about it."
Westwood told Luna via WhatsApp that preparations "would start soon," and Luna said that official word from the club about the ownership being sorted prompted his return; he concluded the interview by saying, "I hope we can have a great season."
