British-Bangladeshi defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury has expressed optimism and determination upon his return to Dhaka to represent Bangladesh in upcoming international fixtures.
Speaking via a video message after joining the national camp on Monday morning, the former Sheffield player said he is excited to reunite with the team and begin preparations.
Hamza, who made his debut for Bangladesh in March during a goalless draw against India in Shillong, is now eyeing success in the two crucial upcoming matches — a friendly against Bhutan on Wednesday and a decisive AFC Asian Cup third-round qualifier against Singapore on June 10.
“Hello, Assalamu Alaikum to everyone,” Hamza said in his message shared by the Bangladesh Football Federation. “Thank you to all the fans, media, and journalists for welcoming me back. I’m eager to join my teammates and start preparing. InshaAllah, we will succeed, and I hope you will continue to support us.”
Although head coach Javier Cabrera has not yet decided whether Hamza will feature in the Bhutan friendly, the 26-year-old midfielder’s presence has already boosted morale in the camp. Cabrera conducted two training sessions in preparation for the matches.
In Group C of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, all four teams — Bangladesh, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong — are currently tied with one point each. Bangladesh hopes to claim the top spot in the group with a win over Singapore, a sentiment shared by both players and coaching staff.
Fans now await to see if Hamza can help lead the red-and-green to a historic qualification round victory and bring international football glory back to Dhaka.
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