India, March 24 -- Hamza Choudhury, sporting white earbuds visible through his well-groomed Afro, arrived at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, acknowledging the warm greetings from the sizable Bangladesh media contingent present on Monday. The climate in Shillong is expected to resemble that of Leicester, his hometown, more than that of Snanghat, the Sylhet town where his father resides. Clad in a No. 8 jersey and rubbing his hands together, Choudhury participated in the team's warm-up exercises.

With his background in the Premier League and Championship, Choudhury has provided a significant boost to Bangladeshi football, a development that seemed unlikely until the 27-year-old defensive midfielder acquired citizenship. In a nation where international football often leads to stark divisions between supporters of Brazil and Argentina—an issue highlighted by Lionel Scaloni during the 2022 World Cup—Choudhury has emerged as a beacon of hope for Bangladesh.

"We never anticipated he would pursue a career in professional football; there was no pressure for him to do so. However, he has demonstrated that with belief in oneself, one can achieve their aspirations," stated Choudhury's mother, Rafia, during her first visit to India, while addressing a group of journalists after Bangladesh completed their training session.

"When Hamza began his journey, there were hardly any Asian players at the Leicester City academy. Now, there are several. The chances of academy players securing a professional contract are less than one percent. He has paved the way for others."

His involvement is beneficial for football in Asia, remarked India’s head coach Manolo Marquez. "It will inspire his teammates." Jamal Bhuyan concurred, stating, "Hamza is a significant asset for us," according to the Bangladesh captain.

As he noted during the teams' encounter in Kolkata in 2019, Bhuyan acknowledged that the standard of the Indian Super League (ISL) surpasses that of the Bangladesh Football Premier League. However, he believes that the disparity in skill levels between domestic players in both leagues is minimal, suggesting that Choudhury has the potential to make a substantial impact.

The question arises: will a week with the Bangladesh team suffice? This uncertainty is why Marquez expressed doubt regarding the potential influence of Choudhary, who has made eight appearances for Sheffield United, currently positioned second in The Championship, England's second division, on Tuesday's match. Additionally, it remains unclear how he will handle the expectations of a nation looking to him for hope.

In Shillong, Rafia, accompanied by her husband Murshed Dewan, acknowledged the pressure their son would face. "Hamza possesses a strong mindset. May the Almighty grant him the strength to carry the torch," she remarked. "We never imagined this would become a reality."

In addition to Choudhary, the squad includes Bhuyan from Denmark, Tarek Kazi from Finland, and Canadian Syed Quazem, all of whom were not born in Bangladesh. The inclusion of naturalized players is a common practice in international football; however, it is less prevalent in India, which does not permit dual citizenship.

When asked if Bangladesh should follow Indonesia's example in this regard, head coach Javier Cabrera advised caution. "Bangladesh must proceed carefully. There will be significant hype and expectations surrounding these players, but they must integrate into the local culture, as Bhuyan, Kazi, and Quazem have done," he stated.

Cabrera's comments were underscored by Indonesia's recent 1-5 loss to Australia on Thursday. Since Eric Thohir, the former owner of Inter Milan, took over as president of the football federation, Indonesia has sought to leverage its diaspora. This strategy has resulted in the national men's team being populated with players born in the Netherlands. Indonesia even replaced the successful South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong with former Dutch international Patrick Kluivert, whose inaugural match was the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Australia.

Former Netherlands international Jordi Cruyff has taken on the role of technical adviser for the team. Currently positioned 127th in the rankings, Indonesia sits just below India and is fourth in their group, trailing Japan, who have already secured a spot in the 2026 finals, as well as Australia and Saudi Arabia, both of whom have accumulated six points from seven matches. The path to the 2026 finals now appears significantly more challenging than it did previously; however, it is hard to imagine that Indonesia would have reached this point without the contributions of players born abroad.

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