Bangladesh's national football team are bracing for a stern test as they prepare to take on hosts San Marino in a historic FIFA Tier-1 international friendly on Friday.
The match, scheduled to kick off at the San Marino Stadium in Serravalle at 7pm local time (11pm Bangladesh time), will mark the first-ever meeting between the two nations and Bangladesh’s maiden international fixture on European soil.
Ranked 181st in the latest FIFA rankings, Bangladesh enter a new chapter under recently appointed head coach Thomas Dooley, who will take charge of his first official match since assuming the role at the end of last month.
The visitors have been boosted by the arrivals of foreign-based midfielders Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome, both of whom joined the squad this week as Bangladesh look to build momentum ahead of the SAFF Championship, which they will host in November.
Defender Bishwanath Ghosh said the occasion would provide a valuable learning experience for a team more accustomed to facing opponents from South Asia and the wider Asian region.
"We usually play against SAFF and Asian countries, so this will be a different experience for us. It is our first time playing in Europe and we are excited about the challenge," Bishwanath said on Thursday.
"We got the full squad together only today. Earlier, we trained without some of the players, so it was good to have everyone available. The new coach is doing well and we are enjoying his sessions. We are trying to adapt to his formation and philosophy, and now we want to show that on the pitch."
The defender cautioned against reading too much into San Marino's low FIFA ranking, noting that the European side regularly faces some of the strongest teams in world football.
"Before coming here, I did not know much about San Marino. But they are a European team and they often play against some of the biggest nations in football. That is one reason their ranking is low. Football is not played on paper. What matters is how they perform on the field and how we respond."
"We hope it will be an enjoyable match and that we can leave the pitch with a positive result," he added.
Assistant coach Hasan Al Mamun echoed those sentiments, describing the match as a landmark occasion for Bangladesh football.
"It is historic for us to come to Europe and play a European team for the first time. We expect a competitive match and consider San Marino a strong opponent. Rankings are not important once the game begins," said Mamun.
The former national team midfielder believes Bangladesh will enjoy strong backing from expatriate supporters in the stands.
"It will almost feel like a home match because many Bangladeshi supporters are expected to attend. Their presence will inspire the players."