They arrived as strangers two months ago. They left as champions, and on Saturday night at Hatirjheel Amphitheatre, the Sullivan brothers made clear exactly what that journey has meant to them.
Ronan and Declan Sullivan were the undisputed faces of Bangladesh’s SAFF Under-20 Championship triumph in the Maldives, and at the BFF’s official reception following the team’s return to Dhaka, both brothers took a moment to speak directly to the supporters who had followed them every step of the way.
It was Declan who delivered the night’s most heartfelt lines. The Philadelphia-born forward, who played just two matches in the tournament both as a substitute had watched from close range as Bangladeshi fans packed the galleries in the Maldives in red and green for every fixture, and followed the team relentlessly across online platforms throughout.
“I cannot speak Bangla very well, but I wanted to express my gratitude to the supporters,” he said. “The support you have given online and the encouragement in the Maldives, everything has been truly unique. I truly believe Bangladesh’s supporters are the best in the world. Thank you all very much.”
Simple words, but the crowd at Hatirjheel received them like a trophy of their own.
Ronan, meanwhile, had a different tone in mind. The tournament’s standout player, who scored two goals and contributed an assist across the campaign before sealing the title with a composed Panenka in the shootout against India, had clearly been storing something up since the final whistle.
He addressed the pre-tournament scepticism from rival camps directly and without apology and in doing so, recreated one of pop culture’s most iconic moments. Channelling the spirit of Kanye West’s legendary Grammy acceptance speech, Ronan looked out at the crowd and delivered his verdict with a grin.
“What about Pakistan? What about Nepal? What about India? They asked what we would do if we couldn’t win. I guess we’ll never know!”
Ronan also made time for gratitude alongside the defiance. “I am grateful to everyone for being here and supporting us,” he said.
Their impact across the tournament had been impossible to ignore. Ronan scored a brace against Pakistan in the opening match, assisted Riyad’s goal in the 1-1 group stage draw against India, and then delivered the decisive Panenka in the final. Declan, despite limited minutes, created two genuine scoring chances within three minutes of coming on as a substitute in the semi-final against Nepal, and was introduced again in the 66th minute of the final.
