‘Surviving on dal and rice was a struggle,’ says Blasters prodigy Mohammed Sanan
Published: November 08, 2026 11:17 AM IST
Mohammed Sanan joined Kerala Blasters to honour his mother’s wish and play for his home club, despite interest from other major Indian sides.
The young forward honed his skills at the Reliance Foundation Young Champs academy before gaining top-flight experience with Jamshedpur FC and moving under coach Ashley Westwood’s guidance.
Sanan’s ultimate career goals are to secure regular game time for the senior Indian national team and win a maiden ISL trophy with Kerala Blasters.
Kochi: Kerala Blasters’ new poster boy for the season is undoubtedly Mohammed Sanan. Armed with top-flight attacking experience from Jamshedpur FC, Sanan has now made the Blasters’ left flank his own. At 22, he still carries an unmistakable boyish charm off the pitch, but once he crosses the white line, his game is purely mature.
“The Kolkata giants (East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan SG) and Mumbai City FC were certainly on my radar. But my mother really had her heart set on seeing me play for the Blasters. Besides, the Blasters are our home club. Wherever I go, Malayali fans rally behind me and show the most love. So, I chose the Blasters,” says Sanan, seamlessly weaving Hindi and English into his Malayalam, a natural trait for someone who moved out of Kerala after fifth grade.
How did your journey begin?
“I hail from Manjeri in Malappuram. From the sixth grade onwards, I trained at the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) academy in Mumbai. I played in their developmental leagues before breaking into the ISL with Jamshedpur FC in 2023,” said the attacker.
“Even though I was the youngest child, my parents never hesitated to send me so far away for football. Their belief gave me immense confidence. That being said, dealing with homesickness and adjusting to the local food culture were unsettling at first. Surviving on dal and rice was quite a struggle. Now, I’m completely used to it,” he added.
What’s the vibe like at Kerala Blasters?
“We had limited time for pre-season preparations, but we’re improving with every session. Everyone in the squad is putting in the hard yards. Winning the ISL trophy with the Blasters is a dream we all share. I haven’t won major silverware in my career yet. I went all the way to the Super Cup final with Jamshedpur, but we couldn’t cross the finish line. I want to win trophies here,” asserted the youngster.
Sanan also addressed the impact that Ashley Westwood had in his move to the South. “Head coach Ashley Westwood was another big reason for my move. He is demanding, uncompromising on discipline, and pushes you to your limits.”
What is your ultimate dream?
With top performances against some of the biggest sides in the world, Sanan is already one of the top prospects in attack for Khalid Jamil at the Indian national team. His impactful displays off the bench against Brazil and Uruguay have certainly caught the eyes of the world.
“Wearing the national colours was my first big dream, and I’ve achieved that. Now, the goal is to make a permanent mark in the senior Indian team. What a young player needs most is game time and match exposure, and I’m starting to get that regularly. For now, though, my immediate focus is bringing home a title for the Blasters.”
“Off the pitch, I love unwinding with video games. I’m also a patient listener and genuinely enjoy helping people through counselling. In fact, I’m working toward becoming a certified counsellor,” said Sanan.