Former Premier League Player Included in Bangladesh national football team Squad for Friendly Matches in Vietnam
The Bangladesh national football team have submitted a preliminary list of 38 players traveling to Vietnam in preparation for the international friendly match against the Vietnam national football team during the FIFA International Match Calendar in March 2026. Notably, the squad includes midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who previously played in the Premier League, along with several overseas-based players.
16/03/2026 10:02:07
The friendly match against the Bangladesh national football team will take place less than a week before the Vietnam national football team face Malaysia national football team in an important clash in the final round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualification. For their trip to Hanoi, the Bangladesh team are bringing what is considered their strongest squad at present, including seven players of Bangladeshi descent who developed their careers in more advanced football environments such as England, Finland, United States, Canada and Denmark.
Head coach Javier Penato – who previously worked at the FC Barcelona Academy in the United States and coached the U19 team of Deportivo La Coruña before taking charge of the Bangladesh national team – places particular trust in midfielder Hamza Choudhury. The 28-year-old has already scored four goals in just seven appearances for Bangladesh, quickly becoming a standout figure in the squad.
Choudhury joined Leicester City F.C. at the age of seven and developed through the club’s academy system. He also earned seven caps for the England U21 national football team and competed in the Premier League. During his career, he won the FA Cup in the 2020/21 season, the FA Community Shield in 2021 and the EFL Championship title in the 2023/24 season with Leicester City. At one point, his talent even attracted the attention of FC Barcelona.
When he decided to represent the Bangladesh national football team – the homeland of his mother – Choudhury received a warm welcome from fans in the country. On his first call-up to the national team in Dhaka about a year ago, thousands of supporters gathered at the airport to greet him, making him a new source of inspiration for Bangladeshi football.
Besides Hamza Choudhury, the Bangladesh national football team also feature six other notable overseas-based players. Centre-back Tariq Zaki developed in the football system of Finland and represented the country’s U16, U17, U18 and U19 national teams between 2016 and 2018. Midfielder Cuba Mitchell played in youth teams before signing a professional contract with Sunderland A.F.C. in England. Meanwhile, midfielder Shamit Shome made two appearances for the Canada national soccer team before expressing his desire to represent Bangladesh – the homeland of both his parents. The squad also includes Zayyan Ahmed (born in the United States), Kirmanee Shah (Canada) and Jamal Bhuyan (Denmark).
In terms of form, since 2025 the Bangladesh national team have recorded two wins, four draws and two defeats in official matches. However, the South Asian side are no longer in contention for a place at the finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2027, as they currently sit third in their group in the final round of qualifying, six points behind group leaders Singapore national football team after five matches. In the final round on March 31, Bangladesh will travel to face Singapore, who defeated them 2–1 in the first leg nine months ago.
The friendly match against Bangladesh is therefore considered an important test for both teams, while also giving fans in Vietnam the chance to watch several notable players from the South Asian side in action.
