Bangladesh coach Javier Cabrera pulled the curtain back on his final chapter on Sunday, naming a 28-man preliminary squad for the upcoming international fixture against Singapore. The national camp kicks off in Dhaka on 16 March before the trimmed 23-man squad boards a flight to Vietnam on 21 March.
This fixture technically carries little weight in the standings. Singapore already sealed qualification from Group C, leaving Bangladesh stranded in third place with five points from five matches. Yet the match carries emotional weight because it marks the final game of Cabrera’s four-year spell with the Bangladesh Football Federation.
Players began filtering into the team hotel from 14 March, turning the pre-Eid atmosphere in Dhaka into something closer to a training ground reunion. The squad blends experienced campaigners with a wave of overseas-based talent arriving from across three continents.
US-based winger Zayyan Ahmed already joined the camp after landing on Saturday. Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome followed a day later, bringing the composure and tempo Bangladesh often lack in midfield.
More reinforcements will arrive on Monday. Italy-based striker Fahamedul Islam and Finland-based defender Tariq Raihan Kazi will land in Dhaka and immediately link up with the squad.
Training will unfold at Bashundhara Kings Arena rather than the traditional National Stadium. BFF officials confirmed National Stadium surface contains “several holes,” which creates unnecessary injury risks for players preparing for an international fixture. Only a personal inspection from Cabrera could reopen the venue for training.
The Singapore match offers Cabrera one final tactical experiment. Expect a blend of youth and overseas experience, with the coach searching for sharper transitions and braver attacking patterns.
Preliminary squad: Mitul Marma, Md Sujon Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Srabon, Ishaque Akondo, Tariq Kazi, Rahmat Mia, Shakil Ahad Topu, Md Abdullah Omar, Sakil Hossain, Zayyan Ahmed, Biswanath Ghosh, Saad Uddin, Monjurur Rahman, Isa Faysal, Shah Quazem Kirmanee, Shekh Morselin, Jamal Bhuyan, Sohel Rana, MD Sohel Rana, MD Ridoy, Shamit Shome, Arman Foysal Akash, Emon Shahriar, Faysal Ahmed Fahim, Fahamedul Islam, Mirajul Islam, Rafiqul Islam, Sumon Reza
