Bangladesh national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bangladesh

Nickname(s)	বাংলার বাঘ (Bengal Tigers) লাল-সবুজ (Red and Green)
Association	Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	SAFF (South Asia)
Head coach	Javier Cabrera
Captain	Jamal Bhuyan
Most caps	Jamal Bhuyan (88)
Top scorer	Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu (17)
Home stadium	National Stadium
FIFA code	BAN
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	192 (7 February 2019)
Highest	110 (April 1996)
Lowest	197 (February–May 2018)
First international
Bangladesh 2–2 Thailand  (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 27 July 1973)
Biggest win
Bangladesh 8–0 Maldives  (Dhaka, Bangladesh; 23 December 1985)
Biggest defeat
South Korea 9–0 Bangladesh  (Incheon, South Korea; 16 September 1979)  Iran 9–0 Bangladesh  (Karachi, Pakistan; 18 February 1982)
Asian Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 1980)
Best result	Group stage (1980)
AFC Challenge Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2006)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2006)
SAFF Championship
Appearances	13 (first in 1995)
Best result	Champions (2003)
Medal record Men's football SAFF Championship Gold 2003 Bangladesh Team Silver 2005 Pakistan Team Silver 1999 India Team Bronze 1995 Sri Lanka Team South Asian Games Gold 1999 Katmandu Team Silver 1984 Kathmandu Team Silver 1985 Dhaka Team Silver 1989 Islamabad Team Silver 1995 Madras Team Bronze 1991 Colombo Team

The Bangladesh national football team represents Bangladesh in international football. It is managed by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). The team joined the AFC in 1973 and FIFA in 1976.

Bangladesh played its first official game in 1973. The team has not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup. They played in the AFC Asian Cup once, in 1980. Bangladesh is one of only two South Asian countries to achieve this. The team's best wins have been in South Asia. They won the SAFF Gold Cup in 2003. They also won gold medals at the South Asian Games in 1999.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Bangladesh was a rising team in Asia. However, since 2000, football in Bangladesh has been less popular. This is partly because the national cricket team became more successful. Football is still a popular sport in Bangladesh.

History of Bangladesh Football

Early Days (1895–1972)

Islington Corinthians and DSA XI team photo in 1937

In 1895, the Dacca Sporting Association (DSA) was formed in Dhaka. By the 1930s, football was growing in East Bengal. On November 21, 1937, the Islington Corinthians from England played against DSA XI in Dhaka. The Dhaka team won 1–0, which was the English team's first loss on their tour. Most DSA XI players were students from Dhaka University. People were very happy to see the local team win.

During the 1971 Liberation War, the Shadhin Bangla football team was formed. They played games across India to raise money for the new Bangladesh government. After Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971, a team called Dhaka XI was active. This team won a friendly match against Mohun Bagan and finished second in India's Bordoloi Trophy.

Starting Strong (1973–1984)

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) was created on July 15, 1972. It joined the AFC in 1973 and FIFA in 1976. Sheikh Shaheb Ali became the first national team coach. Zakaria Pintoo, who led the Shadhin Bangla Team, became the captain.

On July 27, 1973, Bangladesh played its first official game. It was a 2–2 draw against Thailand in the Merdeka Cup. Enayetur Rahman scored Bangladesh's first international goal. On August 13, 1973, Bangladesh got its first win. They beat Singapore 1–0 in a friendly match.

In 1979, Bangladesh played in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time. They drew with Afghanistan and Qatar. They then beat Afghanistan 3–2, which helped them qualify for the main tournament.

The 1980 AFC Asian Cup was held in Kuwait. Bangladesh lost all their games but scored two goals. Kazi Salahuddin and Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu scored these goals. In 1982, Badal Roy scored a goal against Malaysia at the Asian Games. This was Bangladesh's first win in Asia's biggest tournament at that time.

Ups and Downs (1985–2002)

Bangladesh team at Pakistan's 1987 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament

In 1985, Bangladesh played in the 1986 World Cup qualifiers. They got their first win in the qualifiers against Indonesia. Kaiser Hamid and Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu scored the goals. They also beat Thailand 1–0.

In 1995, Otto Pfister became the coach. On November 4, 1995, Bangladesh won the 4-nation Tiger Trophy in Myanmar. This was the country's first major trophy. In 1996, FIFA ranked Bangladesh 110th, their highest ranking ever.

The 4-nation Tiger Trophy in Myanmar became Bangladesh's first international trophy in 1995.

In 1999, the Bangladesh team, coached by Samir Shaker, won a gold medal at the South Asian Games. They beat hosts Nepal in the final.

Bangladesh players celebrating after winning the 1999 South Asian Games final

On January 12, 2001, Bangladesh played its first match against a European team, Bosnia & Herzegovina. They lost 2–0. On March 18, 2001, Firoj Mahmud Titu became the first Bangladeshi player to score against a European team. This was against FR Yugoslavia.

SAFF Gold Cup Victory (2003)

In 2003, Bangladesh hosted the SAFF Championship in Dhaka. Coach György Kottán led the team. Bangladesh won their first game against Nepal 1–0, with Alfaz Ahmed scoring. They also beat Maldives 1–0 and Bhutan 3–0.

In the semifinals, they faced India, who were the defending champions. Bangladesh won 2–1 with a "golden goal" from Motiur Munna. In the final, Bangladesh played Maldives again. Rokonuzzaman Kanchan scored early for Bangladesh. Maldives equalized, and the game went to a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Aminul Haque saved a penalty. Mohammed Sujan scored the winning penalty. Bangladesh won their first SAFF Championship in front of 46,000 fans.

Recent Years (2003–Present)

Bangladesh national football team group photo at the 2005 SAFF Gold Cup.

After their SAFF Gold Cup win, Bangladesh struggled in other tournaments. They reached the final of the 2005 SAFF Championship but lost to India. In 2009, Brazil's Dido became coach. Under him, Bangladesh won two games in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers.

Bangladeshi team at the 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives.

On June 29, 2011, Bangladesh beat Pakistan 3–0 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This win allowed them to advance to the next round against Lebanon. They lost the first game 4–0 but won the second 2–0. However, they were eliminated.

In 2016, Bangladesh lost 3–1 to Bhutan in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualification playoff. This meant Bangladesh would not play in any AFC or FIFA tournaments for two years. By February 2018, Bangladesh's FIFA ranking dropped to 197, their lowest ever.

In May 2018, Jamie Day became coach. Bangladesh reached the 2022 World Cup qualifiers – AFC second round. They drew with India and Afghanistan. In September 2021, Javier Cabrera became the head coach. The team continues to work hard to improve their performance.

Team Look

Media Coverage

Bangladesh's home and away games are shown live on Bangladesh Television, Bangla TV & T Sports in Bangladesh.

Team Kits

Bangladesh wearing their traditional green home kit in 2021.

The Bangladesh national football team wears bottle green shirts and dark red shorts. These colors come from the national flag of Bangladesh. Green stands for the rich land, and red represents the rising sun and the blood of those who fought for independence. The away jersey is usually the opposite color. The team's kit often features the logo of the Bangladesh Football Federation.

In 2011, Grameenphone became the team's sponsor for three years. After a few years without a sponsor, TVS Motor Company from India sponsored the team from 2019 to 2021. In 2021, the federation held a contest to design a new jersey for the 2021 SAFF Championship. In 2025, Dour, a local sportswear company, signed a two-year deal to be the kit sponsor. Also in 2025, United Commercial Bank signed a five-year deal to sponsor the men's senior national team.

Year	Kit Manufacturer/ Sponsor	Ref
1973–1998	Unknown
1998–2000	Adidas
2000–2001	Sapphire Sports
2001–2005	None
2005–2007	Adidas
2008–2010	Nokia
2010–2011	Grand Sport
2011–2013	Grameenphone
2014–2015	FBT
2015–2016	Lotto
2016–2019	None
2019–2021	TVS
2021–2025	None
2025–present	Dour Sportswear

Supporters

Bangladeshi fans at the 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives.

In the 1970s and 1980s, football was very popular in Bangladesh. The Dhaka First Division League attracted many fans. However, since the 2000s, football's popularity has decreased. This is because other sports have become more successful. The National Stadium in Dhaka often has low attendance for games.

Outside Dhaka, football is still very popular. Games in Sylhet and Jessore draw large crowds. In August 2014, 50,000 fans attended a friendly match in Sylhet. This was between Bangladesh U23 and Nepal U23. The stadium was so full that fans broke the main entrance to get in.

The first official supporters group for the national team, the Bangladeshi Football Ultras, was formed in 2019.

Bangladesh Red and Green Teams

From 1981 to 1993, the President's Gold Cup was held almost every year. The Bangladesh Football Federation entered two teams: Bangladesh Red and Bangladesh Green. This was because many good players could not get into the main national team.

The "second string" or youth players often played for these teams. In the 1989 President's Gold Cup, Bangladesh Red won the tournament. They beat the South Korea University team in the final. This is not considered Bangladesh's first international trophy. This is because the tournament mostly included club teams.

Home Stadiums

National Stadium, Dhaka

Bangladesh plays most of its home matches at the National Stadium in Dhaka. This is where they won the 2003 SAFF Championship. The stadium was first built in 1954. The Bangladesh Football Federation took full control of the stadium in 2004.

Before 2011, the National Stadium could hold about 55,000 people. After renovations, its capacity is now 36,000. It is still the largest stadium in Bangladesh. Since the Bangladesh Premier League started in 2007, the stadium has hosted most league games. It has hosted the SAFF Championship three times: in 2003, 2009, and 2018.

The National Stadium was renovated again in 2021. It is expected to reopen in 2025. The renovations include new seats and large LED screens. This is part of the Bangladesh Football Federation's plan to create a modern football stadium. Sometimes, home matches are also played at other stadiums. These include Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, Sylhet District Stadium in Sylhet, and Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.

Recent Matches

Here are the results of matches from the last year and upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

Bhutan  v  Bangladesh

5 September 2024 (2024-09-05) Friendly	Bhutan	0–1	Bangladesh	Thimphu, Bhutan
18:00 UTC+6			Morsalin  5'	Stadium: Changlimithang Stadium Referee: Prajwol Chhetri (Nepal)

Bhutan  v  Bangladesh

8 September 2024 (2024-09-08) Friendly	Bhutan	1–0	Bangladesh	Thimphu, Bhutan
18:00 UTC+6	Wangchuk  90+1'			Stadium: Changlimithang Stadium Referee: Prajwol Chhetri (Nepal)

Bangladesh  v Fortis

5 November 2024 (2024-11-05) Hybrid friendly1	Bangladesh	1–0	Fortis	Dhaka, Bangladesh
18:00 UTC+6	Nova  48'			Stadium: Bashundhara Kings Arena

Bangladesh  v Fortis

8 November 2024 (2024-11-08) Hybrid friendly1	Bangladesh	3–2	Fortis	Dhaka, Bangladesh
18:00 UTC+6	Morsalin  17' Nova  25' Emon  67'		Jumaev Sajib	Stadium: Bashundhara Kings Arena

Bangladesh  v  Maldives

13 November 2024 (2024-11-13) Friendly	Bangladesh	0–1	Maldives	Dhaka, Bangladesh
18:00 BST (UTC+6)			Fasir  18'	Stadium: Bashundhara Kings Arena Referee: Virendha Rai (Bhutan)

Bangladesh  v  Maldives

16 November 2024 (2024-11-16) Friendly	Bangladesh	2–1	Maldives	Dhaka, Bangladesh
18:00 BST (UTC+6)	Jony  43' Papon  90+4'		Fasir  23'	Stadium: Bashundhara Kings Arena Referee: Virendha Rai (Bhutan)

2025 Matches

India  v  Bangladesh

25 March 2025 (2025-03-25) 2027 ACQ – 3R	India	0–0	Bangladesh	Shillong, India
19:00 UTC+5:30				Stadium: JLN Stadium Attendance: 14,952 Referee: Hussein Abo Yehia (Lebanon)

Bangladesh  v  Bhutan

4 June 2025 (2025-06-04) Friendly	Bangladesh	2–0	Bhutan	Dhaka, Bangladesh
19:00 BST (UTC+6)	Hamza  6' Sohel  50'			Stadium: National Stadium Attendance: 17,645 Referee: Kasun Lakmal Weerakkody (Sri Lanka)

Bangladesh  v  Singapore

10 June 2025 (2025-06-10) 2027 ACQ – 3R	Bangladesh	1–2	Singapore	Dhaka, Bangladesh
19:00 BST (UTC+6)	Rakib  67'		Song Ui-young  45' Ikhsan  58'	Stadium: National Stadium Attendance: 21,317 Referee: Clifford Daypuyat (Philippines)

Nepal    v  Bangladesh

6 September 2025 (2025-09-06) Friendly	Nepal	v	Bangladesh	Kathmandu, Nepal
				Stadium: Dasharath Rangasala

Nepal    v  Bangladesh

9 September 2025 (2025-09-09) Friendly	Nepal	v	Bangladesh	Kathmandu, Nepal
				Stadium: Dasharath Rangasala

Bangladesh  v  Hong Kong

9 October 2025 (2025-10-09) 2027 ACQ – 3R	Bangladesh	v	Hong Kong	Dhaka, Bangladesh
				Stadium: National Stadium

Hong Kong  v  Bangladesh

14 October 2025 (2025-10-14) 2027 ACQ – 3R	Hong Kong	v	Bangladesh	Kowloon, Hong Kong
				Stadium: Kai Tak Sports Park Main Stadium

Bangladesh  v  India

18 November 2025 (2025-11-18) 2027 ACQ – 3R	Bangladesh	v	India	Dhaka, Bangladesh
				Stadium: National Stadium

2026 Matches

Singapore  v  Bangladesh

31 March 2026 (2026-03-31) 2027 ACQ – 3R	Singapore	v	Bangladesh	Kallang, Singapore
				Stadium: National Stadium

• ¹ Non FIFA 'A' international match

Coaching Staff

Javier Cabrera became the head coach of Bangladesh in 2022

The coaching staff helps the team train and prepare for matches.

Position	Name
Team manager	Amer Khan
Head coach	Javier Cabrera
Assistant coaches	David Gómez
	Hassan Al-Mamun
Goalkeeping coach	Miguel Angel Iglesias Anido
Fitness coach	Pello Josepe Alcain Villa
Technical director	Saiful Bari Titu
Physio	Abu Sufian Sharker
Doctor	Md Saleh Uddin Sarkar
Team attendant	Md Mohsin
Video analyst	Md Mehedi Hasan Siddiqui
	Abdullah Nasif Islam

Players

Current Team Squad

The following 23 players were chosen for the match against Singapore on June 10, 2025.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 10, 2025, after the game against Singapore.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Mehedi Hasan Srabon	(2005-08-12) 12 August 2005 (age 20)	2	0	Bashundhara Kings
12	1GK	Sujon Hossain	(1996-08-05) 5 August 1996 (age 29)	0	0	Mohammedan
13	1GK	Mitul Marma	(2003-12-11) 11 December 2003 (age 21)	15	0	Dhaka Abahani
3	2DF	Rahmat Mia	(1999-12-08) 8 December 1999 (age 25)	36	0	Brothers Union
4	2DF	Topu Barman (Vice-captain)	(1994-12-20) 20 December 1994 (age 30)	64	6	Bashundhara Kings
2	2DF	Shakil Ahad Topu	(2006-04-06) 6 April 2006 (age 19)	5	0	Mohammedan
14	2DF	Tariq Kazi	(2000-10-06) 6 October 2000 (age 24)	30	2	Bashundhara Kings
22	2DF	Md Saad Uddin	(1998-09-01) 1 September 1998 (age 26)	41	2	Bashundhara Kings
24	2DF	Jahid Hasan Shanto	(2002-06-01) 1 June 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Mohammedan
25	2DF	Md Taj Uddin	(2002-07-18) 18 July 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Rahmatganj MFS
5	3MF	Mohammad Ridoy	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	25	0	Dhaka Abahani
6	3MF	Jamal Bhuyan (Captain)	(1990-04-10) 10 April 1990 (age 35)	88	1	Brothers Union
7	3MF	Shekh Morsalin	(2005-02-19) 19 February 2005 (age 20)	18	5	Bashundhara Kings
8	3MF	Hamza Choudhury	(1997-10-01) 1 October 1997 (age 27)	3	1	Leicester City FC
17	3MF	Sohel Rana	(1995-03-27) 27 March 1995 (age 30)	73	1	Bashundhara Kings
21	3MF	Syed Quazem Shah	(1998-10-25) 25 October 1998 (age 26)	4	0	Bangladesh Police
23	3MF	Shamit Shome	(1997-09-05) 5 September 1997 (age 27)	1	0	Cavalry FC
9	4FW	Shahriar Emon	(2001-03-07) 7 March 2001 (age 24)	7	0	Dhaka Abahani
10	4FW	Rakib Hossain	(1998-11-18) 18 November 1998 (age 26)	45	5	Bashundhara Kings
11	4FW	Foysal Ahmed Fahim	(2002-02-24) 24 February 2002 (age 23)	26	1	Bashundhara Kings
16	4FW	Fahamedul Islam	(2006-06-30) 30 June 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Olbia
15	4FW	Al-Amin	(2004-03-29) 29 March 2004 (age 21)	2	0	Bangladesh Police
26	4FW	Sumon Reza	(1995-06-15) 15 June 1995 (age 30)	27	1	Dhaka Abahani

Recent Players Called Up

These players have also been called up to the Bangladesh squad in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Anisur Rahman Zico	(1997-08-10) 10 August 1997 (age 28)	31	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
GK	Shakib Al Hasan	(2004-11-11) 11 November 2004 (age 20)	0	0	Mohammedan	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
GK	Pappu Hossain	(1999-04-07) 7 April 1999 (age 26)	0	0	Brothers Union	v.  Bhutan; 8 September 2024
DF	Isa Faysal	(1999-08-20) 20 August 1999 (age 26)	15	0	Bangladesh Police	v.  Bhutan; 4 June 2025
DF	Shakil Hossain	(2002-07-06) 6 July 2002 (age 23)	10	0	Dhaka Abahani	v.  India; 25 March 2025
DF	Sushanto Tripura	(1998-10-05) 5 October 1998 (age 26)	7	0	Brothers Union	v.  India; 25 March 2025INJ
DF	Yeasin Khan	(1994-09-16) 16 September 1994 (age 30)	32	0	Dhaka Abahani	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
DF	Mehedi Hasan Mithu	(1994-10-24) 24 October 1994 (age 30)	5	0	Mohammedan	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
DF	Hasan Murad Tipu	(1998-01-02) 2 January 1998 (age 27)	2	0	Dhaka Abahani	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
DF	Bishwanath Ghosh	(1999-05-30) 30 May 1999 (age 26)	43	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  Bhutan; 8 September 2024
MF	Mojibur Rahman Jony	(2005-01-01) 1 January 2005 (age 20)	21	2	Bashundhara Kings	v.  Bhutan; 4 June 2025
MF	Mohamed Sohel Rana	(1996-06-01) 1 June 1996 (age 29)	19	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  India; 25 March 2025
MF	Chandon Roy	(2007-05-04) 4 May 2007 (age 18)	5	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  India; 25 March 2025
MF	Papon Singh	(1999-12-31) 31 December 1999 (age 25)	3	1	Dhaka Abahani	v.  India; 25 March 2025INJ
MF	Jayed Ahmed	(2002-12-14) 14 December 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Bangladesh Police	v.  Bhutan, 5 September 2024PRE
MF	Didarul Alam	(1996-01-05) 5 January 1996 (age 29)	0	0	Fortis	v.  Maldives; 16 November 2024
FW	Mohammad Ibrahim	(1997-08-07) 7 August 1997 (age 28)	41	4	Dhaka Abahani	v.  Bhutan; 4 June 2025
FW	Arif Hossain	(2001-12-31) 31 December 2001 (age 23)	0	0	Mohammedan	v.  India; 25 March 2025
FW	Piash Ahmed Nova	(2005-09-25) 25 September 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Fortis	v.  India; 25 March 2025
FW	Md Rabby Hossen Rahul	(2006-12-30) December 30, 2006 (age 18)	2	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
FW	Md Rafiqul Islam	(2004-02-12) February 12, 2004 (age 21)	7	0	Bashundhara Kings	v.  India; 23 March 2025PRE
FW	Arman Foysal Akash	(2004-01-13) 13 January 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Dhaka Abahani	v.  Bhutan, 5 September 2024PRE
FW	Mirajul Islam	(2006-10-01) 1 October 2006 (age 18)	1	0	Dhaka Abahani	v.  Maldives; 16 November 2024
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad / standby COV Withdrew due to COVID-19 RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Player Records

These are the players with the most appearances and goals for Bangladesh.

Players in bold are still playing for Bangladesh.

Most Games Played

Jamal Bhuyan is Bangladesh's most capped player with 88 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu is Bangladesh's top goalscorer with 17 goals.

Team Achievements

Regional Titles

• SAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2003
  • Runners-up (2): 1999, 2005
  • Third place (2): 1995, 2009, 2023
• South Asian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1999
  • Silver medal (4): 1984, 1985, 1989, 1995
  • Bronze medal (1): 1991

Friendly Tournament Wins

• Bangabandhu Gold Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2015
• Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament
  • Runners-up (1): 1985
  • Third place (1): 1987
• President's Gold Cup
  • Champions (1): 1989
• 4-nation Tiger Trophy
  • Champions (1): 1995
• Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Trophy
  • Champions (1): 2003
• Mujib Borsho FIFA International Football Series
  • Champions (1): 2020
• Three Nations Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2021

Images for kids

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  Islington Corinthians and DSA XI team photo in 1937

• 

  Bangladesh team at Pakistan's 1987 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament

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  The 4-nation Tiger Trophy in Myanmar became Bangladesh's first international trophy in 1995.

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  Bangladesh players celebrating after winning the 1999 South Asian Games final

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  Bangladesh national football team group photo at the 2005 SAFF Gold Cup.

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  Bangladeshi team at the 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives.

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  Bangladesh wearing their traditional green home kit in 2021.

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  Bangladeshi fans at the 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives.

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  National Stadium, Dhaka

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  Javier Cabrera became the head coach of Bangladesh in 2022

• 

  Jamal Bhuyan is Bangladesh's most capped player with 88 appearances.

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  Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu is Bangladesh's top goalscorer with 17 goals.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Bangladés para niños