Four SAFF U-20 stars earn National Team call-up for Bhutan friendlies
These players will feature in two friendly matches against Bhutan, scheduled for 5th and 8th September in Thimphu.
Javier Cabrera had been closely monitoring the U-20 SAFF Championship, anticipating that some standout players might earn a spot in the senior national team.
His patience paid off as four members of the victorious youth squad—Mirajul Islam, Rabbi Hossain, Chandan Roy, and Shakil Ahad—were selected for Bangladesh's national team.
Mirajul Islam, who recently joined Dhaka Abahani, emerged as the top scorer in the U-20 SAFF Championship with four goals.
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Despite never having been called up to the national camp before, both he and Shakil Ahad have now secured their places in the senior team. On the other hand, Chandan Roy has already had the opportunity to play for the national side previously, while Rabbi Hossain had been invited to the camp earlier.
In the run-up to the final squad selection, 14 players were initially called to the national team camp. However, three midfielders—Didarul Alam, Syed Kazem Kirmani, and Javed Ahmed—along with forward Arman Akash, were not included in the final squad. To complement the remaining 10 players, an additional 13 players were added, including 11 from Bashundhara Kings, with Mirajul and Shakil completing the list.
A unique occurrence in Bangladesh's football history is the inclusion of two goalkeeper brothers, Mohammad Sujon Hossain and Pappu Hossain, in the final 23-man squad. This marks the first time such a scenario has taken place.
The Bangladesh national team is set to embark on their journey to Thimphu at 1:20 PM on 4th September.
