Bangladesh football team begins training for WC qualifiers

May 17, 2021

The training of the national football team for next month’s Group E 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers began Monday at Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Bangladesh will play against Afghanistan, India and Oman in their remaining three Group E qualifiers on June 4, 7 and 15 at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar’s Doha. The national side is expected to leave the capital on May 21.

All the 33 booters of the preliminary squad, except injured Bashundhara Kings defender Bishwanath Ghosh, joined Monday’s training session under head coach Jamie Day and other coaches.

Bangladesh team will also take the field for training Tuesday at the same venue.

Earlier last week, Bangladesh Football Federation initially picked 33 footballers to form a national team for the heavyweight meet.

All the 31 players, who earned a call-up to the national camp for the recently concluded tri-nation tournament in Nepal, except Tutul Hossain Badsha, were again recalled to the Qatar-bound preliminary squad.

Also, defender Topu Barman, Bangladeshi origin Finland booter Tariq Raihan Kazi and winger Mohammad Ibrahim returned to the team.

A maximum of nine players from champions Bashundhara Kings made it to the squad.

Preliminary squad

Anisur Rahman Zico, Rimon Hossain, Topu Barman, Masuk Miya Jony, Biplu Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Matin Miah, Mohammad Ibrahim, Tariq Raihan Kazi (Bashundhara Kings)

Shahidul Alam Sohel, Sohel Rana, Saaduddin (Dhaka Abahani), Rahmat Miya, Riadul Hasan,Yeasin Arafat, Jamal Bhuiyan, Abu Shahed, Imran Hasan Rimon, Faisal Ahmed Fahim (Saif SC), Mehedi Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Royal, Mohammad Emon (Muktijoddha SKC)

Ashraful Islam Rana, Mohammad Abdullah (Sheikh Russel), Manik Hossain Mollah, Rakib Hossain (Ctg Abahani), Habibur Rahman Shohag, Atiquzzaman (Mohammedan), Rezaul Karim (Sheikh Jamal), Mitul Marma, Sumon Reza (Uttar Baridhara) and Mohammad Jewel (Police FC)