The wait is finally over. Hamza Choudhury has arrived in Bangladesh to represent the national football team. On Monday, March 17th, at 11:30 AM, the English Premier League star landed at Sylhet Osmani International Airport. However, this time, he arrived not just as a son of Sylhet but as a member of the Bangladesh national football team.
Born in the UK, Hamza Choudhury played for England’s youth teams and currently plays for Sheffield United in the Premier League. Last year, he received approval to represent Bangladesh in international football. Now, he has come to participate in the crucial Asian Cup qualifier against India, scheduled for March 25th in Dhaka.
Upon his arrival, the Sylhet airport premises echoed with chants from fans: “Welcome to the motherland, Hamza, Hamza.” Supporters expressed their excitement by waving red and green flares.
About 40 minutes after his arrival, Hamza faced the media at the VIP gate. When asked about his expectations for the India match, he initially responded in English. However, upon fans’ request, he switched to Sylheti and said, “Inshallah, we will win. I’ve talked a lot with Coach Javier Cabrera. We will win and progress.”
From the Sylhet airport, Hamza headed straight to his ancestral home in Snanghat, Bahubal Thana, Habiganj district, where he will spend a day with his family. He will return to Dhaka the following night to join the national team’s hotel.
Hamza’s inclusion is expected to be a significant boost for the Bangladesh team. The squad is dreaming of defeating India, and Hamza is confident in turning that dream into reality. Now, it remains to be seen how much impact he can make on the field.
