Bangladesh Football Team: The Indian football team will look to start their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers strong when they face Bangladesh in their first Group C match. The Blue Tigers are feeling confident after breaking their 489-day winless streak on Wednesday.
Manolo Marquez’s squad began 2025 with a dominant 3-0 victory over the Maldives in a friendly match. Goals from Rahul Bheke (34′), Liston Colaco (66′), and Sunil Chhetri (76′) secured the win, marking Marquez’s first triumph as India’s head coach.
Next, India will play in the third-round qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup 2027. Sunil Chhetri and his team are in a group with Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Only the group winners will qualify for the tournament in Saudi Arabia, and the other teams will be eliminated, making it a tough challenge for India.
A Look at the History and Successes of Bangladesh’s Football Team
The Bangladesh national football team, also known as the Bengal Tigers, is currently ranked 185th in the FIFA rankings. Their first international match ended in a 2-2 draw with Thailand in 1973. The team’s highest FIFA ranking was 110th, achieved in April 1996.
Bangladesh has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, they competed in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup but were eliminated in the group stage. The team also participated in the AFC Challenge Cup twice.
In terms of titles, Bangladesh won the SAFF Championship in 2003 and finished as runners-up twice. They also won a gold medal in the 1999 South Asian Games, along with four silver and one bronze medals.
Additionally, the Bangladesh football team has claimed victories in several friendly tournaments, such as the Mujib Borsho FIFA International Football Series, President’s Gold Cup, Four Nation Tiger Trophy, and the Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Trophy.
Bangladesh’s Greatest Ever Player and the Current Threats
Defensive midfielder Jamal Bhuyan has played 87 matches for the national team and is one of Bangladesh’s top players. Central midfielder Sohel Rana follows closely behind with 71 international caps.
When it comes to goals, Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu holds the record with 17 goals in 50 appearances for Bangladesh. Zahid Hasan Ameli and Sheikh Mohammad Aslam were also well-known goal scorers for the team.
The spotlight is now on Hamza Choudhary, who is set to make his debut for Bangladesh against India next week. The former Leicester City midfielder now plays for Sheffield United in the English Championship and has successfully registered to play for the Bengal Tigers.
Who Are Bangladesh’s Biggest Football Rivals?
Bangladesh and India share a long-standing rivalry, with both teams having passionate football fans. This makes their matches highly intense.
In addition to India, Bangladesh has played the most football matches against three other South Asian countries: Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh’s record vs India
India’s first match against Bangladesh was at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, where India won 3-0. The most recent meeting was in the 2021 SAFF Championship, where Igor Stimac’s team drew 1-1 with Bangladesh.
The Indian football team has a strong record against Bangladesh, winning 16 matches and losing only twice in their history.
- Total Number of Games played – 31
- Matches won by India – 16
- Matches won by Bangladesh – 3
- Matches that ended in a draw – 12
