Bashundhara Kings created one history after another and with consistency on and off the pitch, the local powerhouse have taken their supremacy to an unprecedented level by clinching the fourth straight Bangladesh Premier League title and making debut at the Asian Champions League play-off this season.
Since the independence of Bangladesh, no domestic club managed to win the top-flight league four times in a row, and none could ever participate in Asia's highest club competition.
The Kings have been thoroughly consistent not only financially and professionally, but also in coaching, managerial and infrastructural terms.
They retained the top players from the previous season and strengthened the squad further with new signings who, along with the former ones, also shone brightly which goes to show that the Kings bought well.
Brazilian striker Dorielton Gomez finished the league as the top scorer with 20 goals in his debut season at the club, while new local recruit Rakib Hossain sparkled on the wing and replicated his form for the national team.
From goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico to defender Tariq Kazi, Bishwanath Ghosh and Brazilian midfield duo Robson Robinho and Miguel Ferreira, all carried on their fine form from last season to flourish further together.
Spanish tactician Oscar Bruzon also deserves credit as it is his fifth straight season as the head coach of the Kings, and constant success has been a common theme during his stay at the club.
“A positive fact is that we are expanding our limits season after season,” Bruzon told Dhaka Tribune.
“We are proud when proving that our growth has been solid as a team but also that we have developed and improved our club players carefully, assisting them to know and work on the specific areas that can be improved.”
The 46-year old continued, “The demands of competitions such as the AFC Cup and the ACL are radically different from the ones here at our local competitions but our team spirit, determination and confidence are at maximum levels in order to play a good role and do a pretty good job on the international arena too.”
Kings also won the Independence Cup this season but their greater focus has been on making a name in the international stage.
Imrul Hasan, the president of the club told Dhaka Tribune in an interview in 2019 that their goal is to make a mark in Asian football.
In a bid to bring more professionalism in the club, they built a home venue last year named Bashundhara Kings Arena which was the first and only privately-owned football ground thus far to host a Premier League match.
The advantage of having a proper home ground was clearly evident as they won all their home matches since the venue's debut in February, 2022.
“When you play at your home venue you get all the facilities. You can utilize the advantages. When you play 60% matches at home, your chances of losing decrease. We are doing this as we have not lost a single match here,” said Kings defender Topu Barman.
The national center-back added, “Every year, the way management forms the squad, it is a model example from Bangladesh and South Asia's perspective. I think the whole credit goes to them. Besides, we players began the season with a commitment to perform well, especially win the league. This is why we have been dominating the domestic arena for four years.”
The coaching staffs also remain almost the same.
Their contributions convinced the management to keep the faith on most of the members of the coaching panel, including Bruzon, for next season.
Technical director Bayazid Alam Nipu has also been with the club for a long time.
He admitted that the consistency on and off the pitch elevated the club to a new height.
Nipu expressed gratitude to the chairman of Bashundhara Group, the owner of the Kings, and the president of the club for the sincere support.
“We always wanted to form the best team, provide the best food and keep the players and coaches at the best place. We want to be the best. This is why we are the champions,” said Nipu, who was previously the Bangladesh Football Federation technical director.
The players, coaches and officials are now fully focused on their next historic match against big-budgeted Emirati club Sharjah FC – comprising the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Kostas Manolas and Paco Alcacer - in the AFC Champions League qualifier which will be held away on August 15.
As Bruzon said, “Playing the ACL play-offs is an opportunity for our club to establish references and check how far or how close we are from the best Asian powerhouses.
“The difficulty will be maximum, especially having to play the game in an away basis but we are excited and glad to carry the responsibility of representing Bangladesh at the most prestigious Asian club competition.”
