Bangladesh head coach Mark Cox and Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal have set their sights on the 2034 FIFA World Cup. They believe this young group can take Bangladesh to that stage in the future.
The belief comes after a historic success. Bangladesh won the SAFF Under 20 Championship in the Maldives. The team stayed unbeaten and showed strong character in every match. They beat India in a tense final that went to a tiebreaker.
After returning home, the champions received a grand welcome. A special event took place at the Hatirjheel Amphitheatre. The night was full of joy and pride. Lights, cheers and camera flashes filled the venue. The players stood at the center of the celebration.
The team first received a reception at the airport. Then they toured the city on an open top bus. The event at Hatirjheel felt like the final moment of their success.
Captain Mithu Chowdhury spoke first. He held the microphone and addressed the crowd. “How are you all? Are you all happy? This trophy came with a lot of sweat and hard work, right? This is for you, only for you.”
Head coach Mark Cox then spoke with pride. He said, “These boys, each of them has given blood and sweat. They gave everything. They even put their lives on the line for Bangladesh.”
He also spoke about the future. He said, “When we went there, we promised that we would show you the spirit of 1971, your history, and we have done that. We will do it again. These boys here will do it again at the AFC Asian Cup and at the World Cup in Saudi Arabia in 2034.”
Tabith Awal shared the same belief. He said, “We have won the champion trophy, but we do not see it as just one day’s effort. What we saw yesterday was the start of a journey. The journey Cox talked about has begun now. We hope to reach that goal in 2034.”
Ronan Sullivan, who scored the winning penalty in the final, also spoke. He said, “Unfortunately, I can only speak English now. But throughout the tournament they kept asking the same questions. They asked what I think about Pakistan, Nepal and India. They asked where we would go if we did not win. I guess we will never know that!”
His twin brother Declan Sullivan praised the fans. He said, “I cannot speak Bangla, but I want to tell everyone here how grateful I am for the support you gave me online and for the huge number of fans who came to the Maldives. It is truly unmatched. Bangladesh football fans are the best in the world.”
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque shared his plan. He said, “We want to build the future Bangladesh national team with this group. With players of Bangladeshi origin and our teamwork, we want to prove one thing. We are all Bangladeshi, and Bangladesh comes first.”
Chairman of the BFF Development Committee Naser Shahriar Zahedi announced bonuses for the team. Each player will receive Tk 100,000. Officials will get Tk 50,000. Dhaka North City Corporation will also give Tk 50,000 to each player.
