Last update on: Wed Mar 19, 2025 02:07 PM
Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuiyan believes midfielder Hamza Choudhury will get goosebumps when he listens to the national anthem being played prior to his debut match against India in Shillong on March 25.
The 34-year-old, who had made his Bangladesh debut 12 years ago having come from Denmark, feels Hamza will feel the same thing, and that Hamza’s instance will give inspiration to others to follow their roots around the world.
Speaking at a press conference at Hotel InterContinental, with Hamza and head coach Javier Cabrera by his side, Jamal expressed his conviction that with Hamza on board, Bangladesh will beat India in the Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture.
”The welcome you are giving to Hamza (Choudhury) is tremendous. It will give inspiration to others around the world. On March 25, when he listens to the national anthem, Hamza is going to get goosebumps,” Jamal said when asked about how he felt being the first foreign-based player for Bangladesh and Hamza being the latest.
With Hamza making himself available for Bangladesh, India got their legendary striker Sunil Chhetri back from retirement at the age of 40. When asked about who he thinks is a better player between the two, Jamal had no hesitation.
”I don’t think you can compare Sunil Chhetri to Hamza, ” Jamal said. ”Sunil (Chhetri) has done a tremendous job for his country, but let’s be honest, Hamza is a Premier League player.”
Jamal showed no hesitation when asked about his predication for the result of the eagerly-anticipated fixture.
”We have a very good mentality. As the coach mentioned, we are more than ready to face India. It’s all or nothing. Everybody in this room wants to beat India. I think this time we are going to beat them, ” Jamal said.
