On Friday night, Sheffield United faced Coventry City. Before the match, Sheffield’s coach Chris Wilder checked on Hamza, as the Bangladeshi footballer was a key part of his plans. However, few expected Hamza to be in the squad for the match. Many were even surprised to see the 27-year-old midfielder in the starting XI. Doubts arose—could Hamza give his best performance after enduring 16 hours of travel fatigue?
From the very start, Hamza played in a way that showed no signs of exhaustion from the past 10 days. He played 89 minutes against Coventry, and as long as he was on the field, his team did not concede a goal. As he left the pitch, coach Chris Wilder embraced him. Hamza was dominant not only in the defensive line but across the entire field. At the end of regulation time, Sheffield secured a 3-1 victory, climbing to the top of the Championship table.
However, the biggest talking point after the match was Hamza’s performance—he seemed untouched by fatigue. On the 16th, he led Sheffield to victory in the Sheffield Derby before flying to Bangladesh. The next day, he landed in his homeland and was showered with love from thousands of fans. The entire sports scene in Bangladesh was abuzz with Hamza’s heroics.
On the 25th, Hamza made his debut for Bangladesh in Shillong against India, earning a new identity—he is now recognized as a Bangladeshi footballer. During the match against Coventry, whenever Hamza’s name was mentioned in the commentary box, the name of Bangladesh was also heard. Following his stellar performance, Sheffield boss Chris Wilder heaped praise on Hamza.
