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Kerala Blasters recently announced that their talismanic midfielder Adrian Luna would be donning the No. 10 jersey for the upcoming 2023-24 season. The creator-in-chief had been the captain of the club since the last season and established himself as one of the fan favorites.
The decision to hand over the decorated squad number came after the previous holder, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, left the club earlier in the month. Amid intense speculation, the Yellow Army made the announcement over the official social media channels.
Adrian Luna, who previously wore the No. 20 jersey, was instantly hailed by many as the rightful owner of the "magic number". Former Blasters center-back Victor Mongil commented on the club's announcement video, writing:
"If someone has to carry this number... it's you bro! The ball always at 10."
The fans, who had adored the Uruguayan since he joined Kerala Blasters, too were elated by the announcement and flooded social media with congratulatory posts.
Here are some reactions:
Awarding Adrian Luna the No. 10 jersey highlights Kerala Blasters' confidence in the Uruguayan
The awarding of the mystical jersey number, the captain's armband, the spontaneity in sorting out his contract situation, everything has hinted towards Adrian Luna being the apple of Kerala Blasters FC's eyes.
With the departure of Sahal Abdul Samad, the 31-year-old is now the sole creator in their setup, and hence the club has left no stone unturned to highlight his importance.
Right from the 2021-22 season, when Luna led the Blasters to the ISL final with his flamboyance and exploits, the Uruguayan international became a darling of the club and the Manjapadda.
In his debut season, he scored six goals while assisting seven times in the ISL. Luna followed it up with another blistering season, where he bagged four goals and six assists in the league stages. Now, the club will expect the love story to be prolonged for multiple seasons.
