ISL 2025-26: Kerala Blasters FC rope in Spanish midfielder Matias Hernandez

The Spaniard joins the Blasters from Gokulam Kerala FC on a short-term contract.

Kerala Blasters FC has completed the signing of the 28-year-old Spanish defensive midfielder Matias Hernandez on a short-term contract, which keeps him in the club till the end of the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) season.

The announcement comes shortly after the two consecutive foreign signings of Marlon Roos-Trujillo and Kevin Yoke, making Matias the third player for Kerala Blasters in their foreign contingent. The defensive midfielder comes in as a replacement for Dusan Lagator, who mutually parted ways with the club earlier this month.

“In Matias, we have a player who has already acclimatised to Indian conditions and gives us versatility in certain positions. We would like to wish him the best for the upcoming season.” said Kerala Blasters FC CEO, Abhik Chatterjee on the arrival of Matias

“I’m delighted to join Kerala Blasters. I’m ready for this new challenge and fully committed to giving everything for the club, working hard every day, and helping the team achieve its goals.” Matias expressed his thoughts after signing with Kerala Blasters FC

Matias will bring a major boost to the Blasters’ defensive unit

Matias is a 28-year-old versatile defensive midfielder from Spain with over eight years of experience in professional football. The Spaniard started his U21 career at a fifth division club, CD Villegas, playing in the Tercera Federacion.

Later, he moved to different Spanish clubs like Rayo Cantabria, Gimnástica, Laredo, CD Marino and Salamanca CF where he had some brief stints. In July 2024, he left Spain to join forces with DPMM FC, where his significant contributions helped his club to be named the Brunei Cup winners.

Matias was later identified by Gokulam Kerala FC, who bought the player to India in September 2025 for their upcoming season. The midfielder even made a few appearances for the club in the Super Cup and the IFA Shield campaign. Matias Hernandez now joins the Blasters for their upcoming ISL campaign as their third player in the foreign roster.

As per published reports, Matias has made 18 appearances so far and has registered 1079 minutes on the field. The Spaniard will now have an uphill task of mitigating the absence of Dusan Lagator and Adrian Luna in the midfield.

What does Matias bring on the table for the Tuskers?

Matias will essentially play the stabiliser role for Kerala Blasters, anchoring the midfield and creating an impenetrable force for the opponents to break past. With a good physical presence and a decent defensive awareness, Matias has excelled in breaking the opposition’s attacking initiatives with some thumping interceptions, making him a valuable asset against the quick counterattacks.

The player will also be a good fit under head coach David Catala’s plans, who prefers a rather structured 4-2-3-1 football, putting emphasis on the defensive midfielder, who essentially controls the game with his build-ups and supplies the ball upfront.

Along with the latest domestic recruit Rowlin Borges, Matias can create a compact midfield, providing autonomy for his teammates to venture deep into the attacks freely. With the ability to play as a centre back and central midfielder, if Matias could find his spark in the Blasters jersey, he could potentially fill the void of a strong central player, which the Tuskers have been missing for a while now.

Matias will link up with the squad in Kochi as preparations intensify for the 2025-26 ISL season.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.