Bangladesh’s Under-20 team dedicated their historic SAFF Championship triumph over India to teammate Ashikur Rahman, who missed the tournament due to injury. The final, held on 3 April 2026 at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives, ended 0-0 after ninety minutes, with Bangladesh sealing a 4-3 win in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Ronan Sullivan became the hero in the shootout, calmly converting a Panenka to send India goalkeeper Suraj Singh the wrong way, sparking jubilant celebrations among players, coaching staff, and fans alike. For coach Mark Cox, this marked his first title with Bangladesh’s youth side.
Ismail Hossain Mahin, who saved India’s opening penalty, described the moment:
“Absolutely incredible. It felt as if I was protecting the dreams of 200 million people.”
Murshid Ali, who scored Bangladesh’s first spot-kick, said:
“I was so excited and thrilled! I can’t even find the words. Inshallah, we are champions this time. Vamos! We’ll celebrate with our nation!”
Abdul Riyad Fahim, another successful penalty taker, called the victory a “dream final”:
“A dream final… Alhamdulillah. First and foremost, we thank Allah. Today we are champions, and we dedicate this win to our entire nation.”
Captain Mithu Chowdhury paid a special tribute to Ashikur Rahman:
“Winning the final… this is what I’ve wanted for four years. Allah has blessed us today. But I really missed my friend Ashik. We played four or five matches together over the years. If he had been here, it would have been even more joyful. Even though he wasn’t, I want to dedicate this trophy to him.”
