Som Kumar Receives First Call-Up to India National Team
ND Slovan goalkeeper Som Kumar has received his first-ever call-up to India’s senior national team, a landmark moment for the young shot-stopper carving out his career in Slovenia’s second tier.
He is set to fly to Bangalore on September 14 to link up with the initial training camp, stepping into a squad preparing for one of the most glamorous friendly windows in Indian football history. Kumar also carries a unique tag into camp: he is the only overseas-based player selected from outside the Indian domestic structure.
ND Slovan did not hide their delight. In an official statement, the club hailed the selection as a milestone for both player and team: “Som's call-up is a great recognition for him and a special source of pride for ND Slovan. Our player will be part of the senior national team during an international cycle in which India will also face two giants of world football, Brazil and Uruguay. Congratulations, Som! We are proud of you and wish you great success in the national team shirt!”
This moment has been four years in the making. Kumar’s European journey began in 2020, when he entered the youth systems of Bravo, Krka, and Olimpija Ljubljana, learning his trade in a region that has quietly built a reputation for producing disciplined, technically solid goalkeepers. From there he earned senior terms with Radomlje, before settling at ND Slovan and racking up 17 competitive appearances.
Commanding in his area and tested in the grind of lower-league European football, Kumar now sees that pathway validated at the highest level. His rise offers a tangible example to Indian players looking abroad for development, and a psychological lift to a football community eager to see its talent tested on bigger stages.
The schedule he walks into is unforgiving, and that is precisely the point.
Upcoming Matches
India open their international series against Panama in Bengaluru on September 26, a fixture that should give the coaching staff a first look at new faces under pressure. Then comes the headline act. On October 3 in Kolkata, the Blue Tigers meet Brazil, one of the sport’s ultimate benchmarks. Three days later, at the same venue, they face Uruguay, another South American powerhouse with a rich attacking tradition.
For a young goalkeeper, it does not get much tougher. Or better.
If Kumar earns minutes, he will be staring down forwards raised in some of the most ruthless footballing environments in the world. Even if he does not, training in a camp preparing to face Brazil and Uruguay is its own education.
Either way, the call-up has already shifted his trajectory. Now the question is simple: how far can an Indian goalkeeper from Slovenia’s second tier go when the world’s elite come charging at his goal?
