Currently playing for Sheffield United in the English Championship, Hamza Choudhury was undoubtedly the standout player against India on Tuesday, report agencies.
Making his debut for the Bangladesh national team in front of his family, the 27-year-old described the emotional moment, saying, "I am super proud. The national anthem gave me goosebumps."
Hamza's impact in the midfield was undeniable, stretching from his own box to the opponent's. His sharp man-marking, defensive awareness, and forward passes created constant threats for India. While the Bangladesh team had been preparing for this international fixture for over a week, Hamza joined the squad just five days before the match. Despite the short window, he gelled seamlessly with his teammates. His positional discipline and ability to orchestrate play from midfield set him apart.
The result - a draw against India in their own backyard - was a significant achievement for Bangladesh and a proud moment for their fans. But Hamza was quick to attribute the result to his teammates.
"I am proud of everyone in the team. They worked super hard for a month, and I just came in for the last five days. They put in all the hard work," he said.
Although disappointed with the missed opportunities, especially in the first half, Hamza remained optimistic. "Definitely, we could have won. I think in the first half we had some very good chances. Next game, for sure, we will score," he asserted.
Looking ahead, Hamza remains hopeful about Bangladesh's prospects in upcoming international fixtures. "It's a slow process, and hopefully, we will get success in the future," he concluded, extending an early Eid Mubarak to the fans.
Choudhury is currently on loan at Championship club Sheffield United, but being contracted to Leicester, he is the first player from a Premier League club to play for Bangladesh.
Speaking to The Athletic from the team hotel in Shillong, India, on the eve of his Bangladesh debut against them in an Asian Cup qualifier, Choudhury described the whole experience as "surreal".
"It has been amazing, the whole trip," said Choudhury, who travelled to the country with a big family in tow. Accompanying him are his wife, Olivia, their three children, his mother, Rafia, his stepfather, Murshed, his two brothers, an aunt and a cousin.
"It's been crazy. My dad comes back to Bangladesh quite a lot, so he was telling me that they're very excited for me to come over, but I didn't expect half of what happened.
"When I got to the airport, I didn't expect that many people, and then obviously all of them followed me in cars and motorbikes.
"It's stuff that I'm not used to or have ever experienced before."
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