Legends in Yellow: Kerala Blasters FC's all-time best XI
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): Kerala Blasters FC have carved out their identity as one of the most iconic clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL), driven by the unwavering passion of its fans and the relentless support of the Yellow Army over the years, according to the official website of ISL.
The club has been a very important part of the ISL fabric and continues to be the centre of all the drama that unfolds in the league. Kerala Blasters FC's journey has been one of ups and downs, which has exuded the kind of emotions that add so much colour to the ISL.
The fandom for the Blasters is so high that, whether it's season time or off-season, the club forms a large part of the daily conversations within the football community in the state.
One topic that often invites a lot of debate and opinions is picking a club's best-ever team. The choice between the red-hot performers of the present and the stars of yesteryears often puts fans in a fix and that's where the fun is.
There was a lot of competition for the place between the Kerala Blasters FC goal with the likes of the legendary David James, Sandip Nandy, Albino Gomes and Sachin Suresh in the equation, but it's Prabhsukhan Singh Gill that has found favour with us due to his consistent displays at the club.
Gill joined Kerala Blasters FC in September 2020 but had to wait over a year to make his ISL debut as he spent his first season at the club being deputy to Gomes. It was when the latter got injured that Gill finally got his chance and the goalkeeper grabbed it with both hands.
He made 20 appearances for the Blasters in the 2021-22 season, keeping seven clean sheets, helping his team reach the ISL Cup final. He won the ISL Golden Glove award in his breakthrough season to cement his place in the starting XI. He had another solid campaign in the 2022-23 season as the Blasters qualified for the playoffs for the second season in a row, for the first time in their history. Gill may have departed for East Bengal FC, but his contribution to the Blasters shines through.
A player that often flies under the radar, Sandeep Singh has been putting in a shift for the Blasters at right-back for five straight seasons, week in and week out. With over 70 appearances for the club, Sandeep has been a very consistent performer for the club who often leaves everything on the field for the Blasters.
He beat some big names in Rahul Bheke, Harmanjot Khabra, Pritam Kotal and Mohammad Rakip to take his place in the all-time Kerala Blasters FC's starting XI.
Jessel Carneiro is Kerala Blasters FC through and through and it was evident from his performances every time he donned the yellow jersey. He joined the club in 2019 and instantly became a hit at left-back as he featured in 18 ISL games and provided four assists.
His rise in the Kerala Blasters FC side was further rubber-stamped when he was made the captain in December 2020. Carneiro fulfilled the responsibility with great effect as he translated the fans' passion for the badge onto the pitch through his performances.
The Blasters have had some good left-backs over the years in Nishu Kumar, Naocha Singh, Lalruatthara but none of them could quite match the performance of Carneiro and what he meant for Kerala Blasters FC.
Sandesh Jhingan arrived at Kerala Blasters FC as a raw youngster and left as one of the best centre-backs in the league. He grew with the club during his six seasons there, making 76 ISL appearances. He was a key defender in their run to the final in 2014 and 2016 and also captained the team from 2017 onwards in many games till his departure in 2020. He is an obvious choice for the centre-back role in the club's all-time starting XI.
Cedric Hengbart gets the nod for the second central defender in KBFC's all-time starting XI, just edging out Marko Leskovic. Hengbart played just 30 games across two seasons with the Blasters as compared to Leskovic's 48 ISL appearances but the Frenchman had a huge impact on the team during his time at the club. A true leader on the pitch, Hengbart led the team to the finals in each of his two campaigns with the Blasters.
Jeakson Singh came into the senior team at Kerala Blasters FC from its reserve team and grew in stature with each passing season. He came into his own under Ivan Vukomanovic, where he cemented his place in the starting XI and transformed into one of India's best defensive midfielders. His presence in midfield allowed the likes of Adrian Luna and Sahal Abdul Samad room to express themselves in the final third. He made 78 ISL appearances for Kerala Blasters FC and also helped the club reach the final in 2021-22.
He edges Mehtab Hossain in this all-time XI for his long service at the club and the sheer consistency with which he performed.
No all-time KBFC XI can be complete without the Uruguayan who has become one of the Blasters' very own. With over 70 appearances, Adrian Luna has scored 13 times for the team and provided 23 assists and has been the creative spark of the side.
He has also warmed up to the fans and has managed to get them on the edge of their seats every time he has received the ball. Luna has a deep bond with the Kerala Blasters FC faithful and is the club's most iconic figure.
Sahal Abdul Samad captured the imagination of the Kerala Blasters FC fans with his mesmerising footwork and silky skills and became an instant fan favourite.
The central attacking midfielder who joined the club as a youngster in 2017-18 left as the player with the most appearances for the Blasters in the ISL. His record of 92 appearances remains intact to date. He delivered 10 goals and eight assists for the club and gave plenty of young fans in Kerala a role model to follow. Sahal moved to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in 2023, but his KBFC legacy is unquestionable.
CK Vineeth is another darling of the Kerala Blasters FC fans and rightly so. He gave everything for the shirt while playing in different positions and always stepped up when it mattered the most. A tally of 11 goals and two assists in 42 ISL matches was a commendable return for the forward, who is most fondly remembered for his late brace against rivals Chennaiyin FC in the 2016 season.
Rahul KP and Prasanth K were players who were close challengers to Vineeth for this spot, but Vineeth's aura in a KBFC jersey was just different.
Hume was one of the first stars of Kerala Blasters FC and it all began after he scored the club's first-ever goal in the ISL in the 2014 season. Hume embodied determination, fighting spirit and cold-blooded precision in the final third, which the fans quickly developed a fondness for and Hume paid back the love with excellence in his performances.
Hume scored four times in the regular ISL season in 2014 and netted one and assisted another in their 3-0 first-leg win over Chennaiyin FC in the semi-final.
The Canadian returned to the Blasters in 2017-18 and scored five times. Hume may not have the best numbers in a Kerala Blasters FC shirt but the impact that he made on the field was beyond mere statistics.
Kerala Blasters FC's all-time leading goalscorer, Dimitrios Diamantakos, completes the line-up as he takes up the centre-forward position. With 23 goals and six assists in 38 ISL appearances for Kerala Blasters FC, Diamatakos was a lethal weapon in the armour for Vukomanovic's side. He won the ISL Golden Boot award in the 2023-24 season and became the first Kerala Blasters FC player to do so.
Bartholomew Ogbeche was another candidate for this position, having scored 15 goals in 16 ISL matches for the Blasters in the 2019-20 season but Diamantakos got the nod, having helped the Blasters reach the playoffs in both seasons that he was in Kochi.
Ivan Vukomanovic is the longest-serving manager at a club in ISL history. The Serbian transformed a club that was struggling to challenge at the top of the table into consistent challengers and also led the Blasters to the ISL Cup final in 2021-22.
Vukomanovic also built a strong bond with the fans that remains special even after his departure.
David James did a good job in Kochi in his two stints at the club and so did Steve Coppell, leading Blasters to a second-place finish in the league and the ISL Cup final in 2016, but Vukomanovic's work at Kerala Blasters FC remains superior. (ANI)
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