All you need to know about the Bangladesh Football Team

The Blue Tigers will take on the Bengal Tigers in Shillong this month.

The Indian football team will aim to kick off their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on the right foot when they face the Bangladesh football team in the opening Group C encounter. The Blue Tigers will be riding high after ending their 489-day winless run on Wednesday.

Manolo Marquez’s men registered an impressive 3-0 win over Maldives in a friendly to kick off 2025 in style. Goals from Rahul Bheke (34′), Liston Colaco (66′), and Sunil Chhetri (76′) were enough for the Spaniard to record his first victory as Indian national team boss.

Up next, India will compete in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 – third-round qualifiers. Sunil Chhetri and his men are grouped alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Qualification will not be easy as only the group winners will go on to play in the tournament in Saudi Arabia, while the rest of the teams will be eliminated.

History and Major Achievements of the Bangladesh Football Team

Nicknamed Bengal Tigers, The Bangladesh national football team are currently ranked 185th in the latest FIFA Rankings. The Red and Green’s first international game was a 2-2 draw against Thailand in 1973, and their highest FIFA rating was 110, which they achieved in April 1996.

Bangladesh have never played in the FIFA World Cup. They did appear in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup, getting knocked out in the group stage. The Bengal Tigers also played in the AFC Challenge Cup twice.

In terms of trophies, Bangladesh have won the SAFF Championship in 2003 and have finished runners-up twice. The football team also secured a gold medal in the 1999 South Asian Games, with four silver and one bronze medal.

Mujib Borsho FIFA International Football Series, President’s Gold Cup, Four Nation Tiger Trophy, and Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Trophy are a few friendly tournaments the Bangladesh football team has won.

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Bangladesh’s All-Time Greatest Player & Current Threats

Defensive midfielder Jamal Bhuyan has made 87 appearances for the national team and is one of the best players in the Bangladesh squad. Central midfielder Sohel Rana follows Jamal closely with 71 international appearances.

Regarding goalscoring, Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu has scored a record 17 goals for his national side in 50 appearances. Zahid Hasan Ameli and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam were renowned goalscorers in the Bangladesh setup.

All the hype surrounds Hamza Choudhary, who looks set to debut for Bangladesh against India next week. The former Leicester City midfielder plays for Sheffield United in the English Championship and has successfully registered to play for the Bengal Tigers.

Who are Bangladesh’s football rivals?

Sharing their border with India, the Blue Tigers and the Bengal Tigers share a heated rivalry over the years. Both nations have fans that are crazy for football; hence, it is no surprise that the game has an intense atmosphere every time it is played.

Alongside India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are three other South Asian nations where the Bangladesh football team has played the most matches.

Bangladesh’s record vs India

India’s first game against Bangladesh was played at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok as the Blue Tigers registered a comfortable 3-0 win. The most recent meeting between the two nations came in the 2021 SAFF Championship as Igor Stimac’s side drew 1-1 with the Bengal Tigers.

Overall, the Indian football team boast a significant record against Bangladesh, winning 16 games and losing just twice in their long history.

Total Number of Games played – 31

Matches won by India – 16

Matches won by Bangladesh – 3

Matches that ended in a draw – 12

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