From Bengaluru to Slovenia: Som Kumar’s Unusual Journey to His First India Call-Up

At 21, Som Kumar has reached a landmark moment in a football journey that has taken him far beyond the traditional pathway for an Indian goalkeeper. 

Born and raised in Bengaluru, Kumar began his football education in India before moving to Slovenia as a teenager, developing within European academies and eventually returning to Indian football with Kerala Blasters.

Now playing for Slovenian club ND Slovan Ljubljana, Kumar has received his first senior India call-up from head coach Khalid Jamil for the upcoming international friendlies against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.

His inclusion represents more than just another name being added to the national team squad. It is the culmination of a developmental journey that has stretched across two football cultures and seen Kumar experience youth football in India, academy football in Slovenia, senior football in the Indian Super League and professional football in Europe.

Kumar was born in Bengaluru and started his football journey at the age of 13. His early development included a spell with the Bengaluru FC Under-13 setup, followed by experiences with the Boca Juniors Academy India and BYFL Academy.

Interestingly, football was not the only sporting influence in his family. His parents, Vivek Kumar and Shama Kittur, were both former national-level badminton players. That athletic background gave Kumar an early exposure to elite sporting habits, while the physical demands of goalkeeping helped his natural height and shot-stopping ability stand out.

But Kumar's development took an unusual turn when, at just 15, he moved to Slovenia in 2020.

Kumar joined NK Bravo's Under-17 setup, beginning an extended period of development in Slovenian football. One of his early eye-catching performances came during an international youth tournament in Italy, where he helped his side draw 1-1 against Bologna's youth team before producing multiple saves during the penalty shootout.

He subsequently moved to NK Krka's Under-17 side on loan to secure regular playing time. His performances contributed to Krka finishing third in the Slovenian junior league during the 2021-22 season.

Kumar later progressed through the Under-19 setups of both Bravo and Krka before attracting the attention of one of Slovenia's leading clubs, Olimpija Ljubljana.

In February 2023, he signed for Olimpija's Under-19 team. Despite receiving offers from Indian Super League clubs, Kumar opted to continue his development in Slovenia. He was eventually integrated into Olimpija's senior training group, giving him exposure to a higher level of European football and professional training standards.

After spending several years developing in Europe, Kumar returned to India in 2024.

Kerala Blasters signed him on a four-year contract in June 2024, making him the first signing under Swedish head coach Mikael Stahre. It was an important step because Kumar was moving from academy football into the senior professional environment.

He made his senior debut in the Durand Cup against Mumbai City FC on August 1, 2024, keeping a clean sheet in an emphatic 8-0 win. He followed that with further clean-sheet performances against Punjab FC and CISF Protectors as Kerala Blasters progressed to the knockout stages.

However, his Durand Cup campaign ended painfully in the quarter-final against Bengaluru FC. Just seconds into the match, Kumar suffered a serious head injury following an aerial collision with Bengaluru striker Jorge Pereyra Díaz and had to be stretchered from the field.

After recovering, Kumar returned to make his Indian Super League debut against Mohammedan Sporting on October 20, 2024, helping Kerala Blasters secure a 2-1 victory. He ultimately made four ISL appearances during the 2024-25 season.

Back to Slovenia for regular football

Kumar's next move once again took him to Europe.

In February 2025, he joined Slovenian top-flight club NK Radomlje. But with regular playing time crucial to his development, he subsequently moved on loan to ND Slovan Ljubljana in September 2025.

That move proved important.

At ND Slovan, Kumar established himself as the starting goalkeeper and gained consistent experience in Slovenia's second division. Following a brief recall by Radomlje, he completed a permanent transfer to ND Slovan on his 21st birthday in February 2026.

Across the 2025-26 season, Kumar made 13 official senior appearances for ND Slovan in the Slovenian second tier and cup competitions.

That regular exposure to senior European football has helped him develop important aspects of his game, particularly communication, aerial command, decision-making and playing under pressure.

Kumar is not new to the Indian national-team environment. He represented India at multiple youth levels, collecting caps with the Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 teams.

One of his biggest youth international achievements came at the 2022 SAFF U-20 Championship. Kumar started India's campaign and played a key role in the team's run to the title. His performances earned him the Best Goalkeeper award at the tournament.

He also represented India in AFC U20 Asian Cup qualification and was part of the squad that won the 2023 SAFF U19 Championship. Now, however, the challenge is considerably bigger.

A chance to impress Khalid Jamil

Khalid Jamil's decision to include Kumar in the senior squad gives the young goalkeeper an opportunity to train alongside established India internationals such as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Albino Gomes and Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.

India's upcoming window is particularly significant, with the Blue Tigers scheduled to face Panama on September 26, followed by Brazil on October 3 and Uruguay on October 6.

For Kumar, the call-up provides an opportunity to experience senior international football and demonstrate what several years of development in Europe have given him. At 1.91 metres, Kumar already possesses the physical profile associated with the modern goalkeeper. His European experience has added tactical and technical dimensions to that foundation.

Whether he makes his senior international debut immediately remains to be seen, but simply being part of this squad represents a major milestone.

Som Kumar's journey has been anything but conventional. From Bengaluru to Slovenia at 15, from European academies to Kerala Blasters, and then back to professional football in Slovenia, he has consistently chosen development and competition over the straightforward route.

Now, his unusual journey has brought him to the doorstep of the Indian senior national team.

The next chapter could be the biggest one yet.