Bangladesh have begun preparations for their AFC Asian Cup qualifier against India on 18 November, with players determined to end the campaign on a high despite being out of contention. Defenders Rahmat Mia and forward Shekh Morsalin have pledged that the team will play with pride and give their all in front of home supporters at the Dhaka National Stadium.
Training officially started on Friday under assistant coach Hasan Al Mamun, while head coach Javier Cabrera remains in Spain after recently becoming a father. Cabrera is expected to arrive in Dhaka on 3 or 4 November. “Our plans were set earlier,” Mamun said. “The coach is monitoring everything from Spain, and we’re following the programme as planned. We know exactly what we’re doing.”
Rahmat Mia emphasised the importance of fighting for the country and the fans. “Even if we can’t qualify, we’ll fight for our country,” he said. “We want to give our fans something to cheer for. Everyone feels disappointed, but there’s still a lot to play for.” Reflecting on missed opportunities, he added, “The cancelled friendly against Afghanistan would have helped us adjust better before facing India, but these things happen. We have to stay focused on what’s ahead.”
Forward Shekh Morsalin echoed the sentiment, highlighting the team’s determination to show improvement. “We’re not thinking about qualification anymore, we just want to win for our fans,” the 19-year-old said. “Every match is a chance to grow. We’ll give everything.” He also stressed the need for concentration and learning from past mistakes. “Football is about staying alert every second. Sometimes we lose focus, and it costs us goals. We’ll try to fix that in training.”
The final squad, expected to include 26 to 28 players, will be confirmed once all footballers report to camp, including those from Bashundhara Kings who are currently involved in AFC Challenge Cup duty. Assistant coach Mamun remains confident in the team’s home strength. “We made mistakes in Hong Kong, but at home, we’re strong. We’re focused on giving our fans something to cheer for,” he said.
Bangladesh will face India on 18 November in Dhaka, aiming to conclude their qualifying campaign with pride and a performance the home supporters can celebrate.
