"Sunil [Chhetri] is a very good player. He has done a tremendous job for his country. But let's be honest: Hamza is a Premier League player."
In a country where local football isn't that big, press conferences for the national team don't really attract that much attention, but this was something else. At least 200 journalists were crammed into the room, so were the football federation's entire executive committee and coaching staff, and even a few fans. Held six days before the Bangladesh men's team Asian Cup Qualifier against neighbours India, it served only one purpose: to talk about the imminent debut of one of those seated at the table, Hamza Choudhury.
Currently at Sheffield United (on loan from Leicester City, for whom he made 57 appearances in the Premier League) in the Championship, the second tier of English football, Hamza is the highest profile player to ever represent Bangladesh. And indeed, any nation in South Asia.
So, when Jamal Bhuyan, captain and most capped player of the Bangladesh men's national team, was asked if the upcoming (March 25) game vs India could become a Sunil Chhetri v Hamza Choudhury battle, Jamal went right to the bottom line: "...let's be honest: Hamza is a Premier League player."
That's why there was a huge crowd to welcome him on March 17 at Sylhet airport. And a huge one at his small village of Snanghat, some 190km to the northeast of the capital, Dhaka. And another one at Dhaka airport the next day. And the team hotel later. And... basically, everywhere he has gone in the country.
Hamza Choudhury is on the verge of wearing their national team colours, and Bangladesh simply can't get enough of him.
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Such is the hype, in fact, that the federation has already netted a long-term sponsor, for the first timex in its history. United Commercial Bank joined hands with the BFF for a five-year deal, which will reportedly cover 30 per cent of the Bangladesh team's overall expenses. That's a massive boost.
"Hamza is definitely the biggest star, the biggest player in South Asia," says Bhuyan - who was the first expat to play for Bangladesh - and it's hard to argue. Currently ranked 185, Bangladesh are behind almost everyone, including fellow South Asian nations India, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
There is a deep love for football - often expressed by their passionate support of (especially) Argentina and Brazil at World Cups every four years - but their teams have done very little to cheer about. The Bangladesh women's team have brought the nation some trophies in football, having won the regional SAFF championship in 2022 and 2024. The men's team won it once, in 2003. That's about it.
Football, in fact, used to be the country's No 1 sport till the mid-1990s when the cricket team qualifier for the 1999 ICC World Cup. It became an instant hit. Over the last 28 years, the cricket team has grabbed almost all of Bangladesh's sporting attention and money. A player coming from the Bangladesh domestic system and making it to the Premier League is unthinkable - Hamza was born in Leicestershire and learnt his football at the Leicester City academy (which he joined aged 7).
Even though he had been a frequent visitor to the land of his ancestors, it was only in August 2024 that Hamza got his Bangladesh passport, and in December that he got FIFA's approval to represent Bangladesh.
Suddenly, one of the worst football sides in the world had a Premier League quality player in their side.
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Born to a Bangladeshi mother and a Grenadian father, Hamza's always been backed vocally by Bangladeshis, and that included online comments pleading with him to represent Bangladesh at senior level. That had not been his priority -- his career progression obviously meant at the time that his goal was to play for England. He appeared for the England Under-21s in 2018 but, while he was a Leicester City regular, including winning the FA Cup with them in 2021, the England full international call-up never came. And so, in stepped Bangladesh.
According to journalist Nayir Iqbal, the BFF approached Hamza a couple of years ago. Iqbal, however, believes that two factors influenced Hamza's decision to play for Bangladesh: "Bangladesh's football fans heavily influenced Hamza's decision. They would often request him to play for the national team on social media. Hamza already had the family connection. His parents would bring him to Bangladesh, particularly to their ancestral home in Habiganj [district] during his childhood," said Iqbal, who has tracked Hamza for several years.
There's an excitement when people are talking about Hamza, and that's reflected in the voice of Amir Rashed Khan, banker and die-hard fan of the national team. The latter bit has often seen more disappointing days than good ones. The sight of Hamza stepping into Bangladesh, though, has given him a lot of hope. "I have been following Hamza ever since I learned about his Bangladeshi roots. I was hoping that one day he would represent the national team. I was thrilled with his decision last year. I have been following the national team for a long time.
"The idea of a player with Premier League pedigree joining our national team is a dream come true. Seeing him arriving in Bangladesh this week was incredible. I feel that his presence alone is a huge boost for football here. It will attract more youngsters, and bring global attention to the team."
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When Hamza walked out of the Sylhet airport on March 17, fans swarmed him from all sides. There were "Hamza, Hamza" chants, while red flares were lit to welcome him. The planned press conference in the airport was hardly possible given the noise and chaos. Hamza only just managed to get into the car, moments later appearing through its sunroof waving his hands. Hundreds ran alongside Hamza's car before it took the left turn towards Sylhet city.
�� Snanghat, Bahubal, Habiganj
Hamza's ancestral village saw a large crowd welcoming him pic.twitter.com/aqszWZlgFz
- Bangladesh Footy ���� (@BangladeshFooty) March 17, 2025
A couple of hours later, Hamza was given a rousing ovation in Snanghat. There were decorative arches and a string of motorbikes accompanying him through the narrow village path. For the next 36 hours, Hamza belonged to Snanghat. His wife Olivia and their three children were visiting Bangladesh for the first time.
When he spoke to the Bangladesh media from his uthan, the raised platform that is typical to Bengali houses, Hamza said that the large crowds were an inspiration, not a hindrance. "There is no pressure whatsoever. People are showing me love. It just gives me more motivation to play well," he said.
"I could never imagine this many people (in my house). I can't explain the feeling. I have so much love in my heart for my people. Everyone here is family to me. I have been coming to this village from the age of four. You know I have actually played cricket here (front yard)."
Asked about the reaction of his Sheffield United teammates about his appearance for Bangladesh, Hamza said they all wanted the team jerseys. And how does he plan to talk to his Bangladeshi teammates? Hamza said that he has to stick to Sylheti, a dialect of Bangla (also claimed as an independent language) spoken by eleven million people in Bangladesh and around the world.
"My shuddho (pure) Bangla isn't that good"
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There are others who will help him adjust. Captain Jamal, for instance, had been Bangladesh's highest profile player before Hamza's arrival, having grown up and played competitive football in Denmark. He can't be more excited about having Hamza line up alongside him.
"He is going to have a positive impact on Bangladesh," Jamal told ESPN.in. "More footballers who are born outside of Bangladesh will get some encouragement to come to the country to give it a try. (Hamza) has to enjoy the moment. The first match is always very special. We have to help him. He is obviously the best player in South Asia. We have to get the best out of him."
Jamal and Hamza are not the only expats in the squad. There's Tariq Kazi who played for the Finland U-19 team and now has 27 Bangladesh caps, and Kazeem Shah, a Canadian-Bangladeshi, who has already made his debut for Bangladesh. The Federation are still in talks with more expat footballers across the globe. With a diaspora of a reported 7.5 million around the world, that's a talent pool just waiting to be tapped.
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Journalist Iqbal said that Bangladesh should welcome expatriates, particularly seeing how successful Jamal has become in the last 12 years. Iqbal said that Hamza's appearance would definitely inspire more expatriates to come to Bangladesh.
"Overseas Bangladeshis are also Bangladeshis. Why won't they come forward to help the nation? I think it will be useful for Bangladesh football. Jamal Bhuyan [...] has steadily become the face of Bangladesh football, with his good skills and personality."
For him, though, Hamza sticks out even then. "There's however a big difference between other expatriate footballers and Hamza. He [has played] in the Premier League, one of the top leagues in the world. I think his appearance for Bangladesh will inspire all expatriate footballers. It will enhance the pipeline of Bangladesh football."
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There's renewed hope that Bangladeshi kids growing up watching Premier League or other European leagues on TV will find interest in taking up the sport seriously. BFF vice-president Fahad Karim was grateful to Hamza for his arrival but believed that the federation has to take the country's football a step further. "Hamza comes across to me as a lovely personality. He is extremely humble. Most importantly, he is very professional. The coach and the team are very excited to have him in the team. I am seeing how he is gelling with the team in such a short time."
Speaking on how the nation has received him, he said, "I never thought the response would be so huge. It is very encouraging. It shows how much the people of Bangladesh love football. This is a landmark event. He has done a great job for us, so it is our job to nurture on it."
Extraordinary buzz and new big sponsor notwithstanding, it is still a pipedream for more money and attention to flow football's way in Bangladesh. Cricket still rules the headlines and airwaves here, but the world's most popular sport may well have found a lifeline... thanks to an afro-haired central midfielder from Leicestershire Snanghat.
Hamza Choudhury is in town, and he's here to stay.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNCricinfo's correspondent in Bangladesh.