Top 10 players to watch in SAFF U19 Championship 2025

A list of the top players who will be on show starting May 9.

The 2025 SAFF U19 Championship begins on May 9, 2025 (Friday), with India set to host the tournament in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh. Hosts India head into the tournament as the defending champions after having won the 2023 edition, defeating Pakistan in the Final.

While India are the reigning champions of the SAFF U19 Championship, they are currently tied with Nepal for the joint-most titles for any country in competition history. Bibiano Fernandes will look to ensure that the Blue Colts can win it for a second time and entertain their home crowd with good football.

The SAFF U19 Championship is also an ideal platform for some of the talented young players from Southern Asia to prove their quality on the international stage. There will be several budding talents playing in the upcoming tournament, and they’ll look to play key roles in ushering their teams to success.

Here we look at the 10 players to watch out for in the 2025 SAFF U19 Championship.

10. Raj Chowdury (Bangladesh)

Bangladesh are heading into the SAFF U19 Championship as one of the teams to beat in the competition. However, they will be facing stiff competition if they aspire to contend for the title and are guaranteed to be tested by attacking sides. That is why their goalkeeper Raj Chowdury needs to be at his sharpest in the tournament.

The young goalkeeper is an impressive shot-stopper who can make clutch saves and also move the ball along sharply. He will look to put his skills to good use and help his side keep many clean sheets.

9. Yohaan Benjamin (India)

Benjamin is the latest young gem to come through the Shillong Lajong youth development scene and he’s been impressing for their youth teams in recent years. The attacking midfielder scored nine goals in 13 appearances in the 2023-24 Youth League for his side and scored four goals in the 2025 RFDL (Reliance Football Development Limited) too.

Benjamin is an energetic presence in the opposition box, knowing how to skip past defenders and play his teammates into empty spaces. He’s also a clinical finisher who will look to add something special to his side.

8. Dharbendra Kumar (Nepal)

Nepal are going to take the fight to their opponents in the upcoming SAFF U19 championship and pose a severe threat to the other sides. They are likely to go with an attack-first approach, and that can definitely benefit their promising young forward Dharbedra Kumar.

The 18-year-old centre-forward is like a fox in the box, being able to sniff out chanes and get at the end of opportunities efficiently. He’ll need to be unpredictable and decisive with his final third to amplify Nepal’s goal-scoring threat and help them take the fight to opposition defenders.

7. Salah Uddin Sahed (Bangladesh)

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Salah Uddin Sahed has already gotten quite a bit of experience playing at the international youth level for Bangladesh’s teams. He has made seven appearances for the U17 side, proving his quality by also helping them keep a few key clean sheets in those matches. Sahed is an energetic full-back who loves to make forward runs to add more goal-scoring threat to his side.

He’s also a pretty sturdy defender, who can neutralize an attacker’s threat with his composed, solid defensive work. He’ll need to bring his very best to frustrate wingers and help his side get more clean sheets in the SAFF U19 Championship.

6. Omang Dodum (India)

Omang Dodum gets the honor of playing the 2025 SAFF U19 championship in front of his home fans in Yupia. The Punjab FC midfielder has impressed for the Shers U17 side, scoring 12 goals in 10 appearances for them.

He also impressed for them in the 2025 RFDL, scoring a few key goals, and won the 2024 RFDL title with Punjab FC by scoring in the final against East Bengal. Dodum will look to use his pace and incisiveness to break the opponents’ defensive line and cause them trouble. He will also need to be clinical in finishing away his chances to help India get big wins at the SAFF U19 Championship.

ALSO READ: Where are players of India’s SAFF U19 2023 winning team now?

5. Abdul Kadir (Bangladesh)

Abdul Kadir’s presence adds something new and different to the Bangladesh U19 side. That is because he’s doing his football development in Italy, having been able to move to the country because of his impressive footballing talent.

Kadir is an efficient left-winger who will be looking to torment defenders with his speed and dribbling ability when moving through the wide areas. The teenager excels at holding up possession, releasing them in ideal moments, and can also score goals efficiently when played in through to promising areas.

4. Subash Thakuri (Nepal)

Subash Bam Thakuri has already garnered a lot of experience of playing in the international stages, as he’s acted as a leader for a variety of Nepal’s youth teams. He is a product of the Nepal Police Club youth academy and he even led them to the win the recent ANFA U18 Youth League.

He has captained Nepal’s U16 and U17 teams in the past and can motivate teammates with his spirited presence in the ground. Subash excels in moving the ball into the danger areas through the wings and can also create chances easily. He will, although, be most focused on finishing off chances clinically to help them win matches in compelling fashion.

3. Bharat Lairenjam (India)

Bharat Lairenjam is ready to prove his quality for India at the U19 level after having already done a solid job across many youth levels for the Blue Colts. The Classic FA forward impressed in the 2025 RFDL campaign, scoring a hat-trick against NorthEast United’s reserves in the zonal group stages.

He also had three goals in the national group stages, playing a key role in helping Classic FA reach the final where they lost to Mohun Bagan. The young forward is a dangerous player in the final third, being able to sneak into goal-scoring areas with ease. He’ll look to prove his quality as a ruthless finisher by slotting chances home clinically in the upcoming SAFF U19 Championship.

2. Farzad Syed Aftab (Bangladesh)

Bangladesh’s under-19 side are also quite blessed to have a striker like Farzad Syed Aftab in their squad, as he comes in after getting a lot of experience playing in the USA. Indeed, the young forward has done his development in the USA and comes in with a lot of expertise into the SAFF U19 championship.

Farzad will look to prove his qualities by being a menace for the defenders with his movement and link-up play. He will, however, be tasked to finish off chances clinically to get his side a big win.

1. Danny Meitei (India)

India have a real special talent up their sleeve for the upcoming SAFF U19 championship in the form of midfielder Danny Meitei. The NorthEast United youngster has already made his debut in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the age of 17 and is ready to help his national team retain their SAFF U-19 Championship title.

Danny scored a whopping 12 goals for NorthEast United in the 2025 RFDL, proving his quality to deliver goals from midfield. He’ll be an energetic and driving figure for India, looking to run the show from midfield and torment opponents.

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