Singapore are placed higher than Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings but in terms of market value, the men in red and green are ahead of the former largely because of one name - Hamza Choudhury – who has helped create a new buzz in the country’s football scene.
Hamza’s current market value is 4.50m euros according to transfermarkt, while the entire Singapore team have a value of 3.08m euros.
Bangladesh are also currently the most valuable team in South Asia, only for Hamza.
The midfielder has not only increased the market value of the Bangladesh team, but awakened the country’s football too.
The public craze during the World Cup every four years indicates the passion this football-mad nation has for the beautiful game, but after the show ends it seems the country falls into hibernation.
Even during the matches of the two traditional top-flight giants Abahani and Mohammedan, the galleries are almost always empty.
The national team matches too rarely attracted spectators in the stands.
Sponsors wondered whether putting money in the game would be wise given the general lack of excitement among fans.
This has all changed drastically just because of the Hamza effect.
It was witnessed weeks before Hamza landed in Dhaka Monday.
Hamza is here for Bangladesh’s next AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Singapore on June 10 and this particular fixture has captured the imagination of all the Bangladesh fans.
For a decade, Bangladesh has not observed this much attention from sponsors, as well as fans, for an international football match.
Demand for tickets was high even before it went on sale.
Once the tickets were available online, it encountered cyber-attack, according to the authorities, but as soon as the problem was neutralised, all of them were sold out in a jiffy.
According to Bangladesh Football Federation’s competition committee member, Tajwar Awal, there were 30,000 requests in five minutes for 18,300 tickets. Even people from abroad bought tickets.
The sponsors also started arriving one by one. United Commercial Bank became the Bangladesh team’s sponsor. Dour emerged as kit sponsor. Molten joined the team as football sponsor. Telecommunication company Robi became part of the ticket campaign.
The key reason for all these developments is Hamza, who made his debut in Bangladesh jersey away to India last March.
And his forthcoming home debut promises to be special.
For his part, the Leicester City midfielder has shown determination for the Bangladesh cause.
He flew from England, reached Bangladesh’s airport in the morning, joined the team at the hotel soon afterwards and attended the training session in the afternoon.
It was a closed-door session but the fans gathered at the gate to welcome Hamza.
Amid the strict policies, a fan somehow broke the security barrier, climbed the northern wall of National Stadium and ran to the field to hug the superstar.
Meanwhile, fans from other districts have travelled to the capital, only for a glimpse of Hamza.
The team’s midfield is also going to see a massive lift.
Having learned of Hamza’s debut last March, Canadian-Bangladeshi Shamit Shome, who previously remained silent on Bangladesh call, decided to switch allegiance within a month.
On paper, this is going to be Bangladesh’s strongest squad in recent years.
The football federation has also taken steps to host the Singapore game in festive mood, arranging laser show, cultural events and concert on matchday.
According to the competition committee member, there would be fan zones in all eight divisions, spreading the joy of the occasion throughout the country.
Bangladesh football literally awaits a new dawn in the coming days and the man very much in focus, Hamza, is all ready to shine in his homecoming.
