Bangladesh have not beaten India in football since 2003, but there’s a sense of growing restlessness. Their pre-match press conference carried geopolitical undertones, suggesting that their AFC Asian Cup qualifiers clash against India is more than just a game for them.
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The Indian football team faces Bangladesh once again, this time in a crucial encounter—their
opening match of the final round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. It is a winner-takes-all group and there couldn’t have been a more thrilling start for Blue Tigers than a showdown against their ’noisy neighbours.’ They will later also face Hong Kong and Singapore in Group C.
Why ’noisy neighbours’? It’s no secret that Bangladesh players and fans have always viewed South Asian rivals India as a team they must not lose to. Whether this stems from ego or the perception of India as the benchmark is debatable, but the status quo is undeniable. The same holds true in cricket, and while football receives less coverage than cricket, the passion and intensity with which Bangladesh’s players and fans approach a game against India is no different.
In fact, the enthusiasm in the Bangladeshi media is just as high—some might even call it resentful—as they have turned up in large numbers in Shillong, the venue for Tuesday’s (25 March) match, outnumbering their Indian counterparts.
The only thing missing was a war cry from the team and it came late towards Bangladesh’s pre-match press conference when captain Jamal Bhuyan quietly dropped a rallying call. “There’s always pressure in every game but there’s more focus on this match because it is against India. You know what has happened in the last one year,” the Denmark-born midfielder said. “So we are feeling the pressure but we are cool.”
What has happened in the last one year? Was Jamal talking about the protests that led to the ouster of long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina or was he talking about Hasina taking asylum in India? It’s difficult to decipher the exact meanings of the Bangladesh skipper’s message which was delivered in his mother tongue Bengali but it’s clear that the upcoming India vs Bangladesh football match is more than just a game, at least for the visitors.
It’s impossible to ignore the geopolitical undercurrents surrounding the contest. However, it’s also important to consider the other side of the story. India are not approaching the match through the lens of geopolitics or Sheikh Hasina seeking help from India after being forced out of her own country. For them, it’s business as usual.
“What I have learnt in football is it’s all about how you prepare yourself,” India defender Sandesh Jhingan said, explaining the Blue Tigers’ approach. “And what I have learnt is if you have not prepared well, any team can beat you.
“It’s not about focussing on Bangladesh or any other team, it’s just about whether have you prepared yourself the best way possible. If you have done that, you want to go on the pitch and try to give your best. It’s that mentality or that kind of focus that helps you go into every game with a lot of positive thoughts. It’s the mindset I tried to keep and make sure everyone around me keeps as well,” he said in reply to a question from this reporter.
Pitch controversy, Hamza inclusion and Chhetri’s return dominate IND vs BAN lead-up
Adding more intrigue to the match is the pitch controversy. Bangladesh reached four days in advance in Shillong instead of the customary two days to prepare better for the match. As a result, they were given the North East Hill University (NEHU) ground to practice but the visitors found the conditions “sub-par” and moved to an AstroTurf surface.
Bangladesh football team coach Javier Cabrera played down the controversy on the eve of the match, but the fire had already been lit. “There has been a lot of noise about this. Probably things could have been better but that is already past,” Cabrera said. “We don’t find any excuses. Today we train in the stadium finally. We are going to make the best of it. We are ready anyway. We have been preparing very well.”
Cabrera also emphasised that India vs Bangladesh match cannot be solely about Hamza Choudhury and Sunil Chhetri. While the 40-year-old Chhetri has
reversed his international retirement to strengthen India’s attack, Choudhury, a former Premier League player and FA Cup winner, will be the
most decorated player on the pitch at 27.
“It’s going to be a competitive match. It’s not going to be only about Hamza and Chhetri. Tomorrow it’s going to be about the teams. Lot of respect for India, Chhetri, Manolo and his staff but we really feel that we are ready for the battle,” Cabrera added.
Despite Hamza’s addition, one must say that India (FIFA rank 126) would enter the contest as the favourites, having won 14 out of 28 matches against Bangladesh (FIFA rank 185) and losing just four. The last time they lost to Bangladesh was in 2003.
India coach Manolo Marquez will look to protect that record in his first real test.
“We always expect the best version of the opponent. Our approach to every game is similar, whoever the opponents are – Maldives, Bangladesh, Hong Kong or Singapore. You need to know the good and bad things about them. But we can’t change our style of play. We know that if we play a good game, we will win tomorrow (on Tuesday),” Marquez said.
The 56-year-old became India’s coach after Igor Stimac failed to take the Blue Tigers to the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. An Asian Cup spot is the minimum Manolo is expected to deliver.