'Hope this championship inspires the nation to unite'

When Bangladesh coach Maruful Haque announced before departing for Nepal that his team would not only play in the final but also lift the SAFF U-20 Championship trophy, there was little hope of clinching the elusive title, especially given only a two-week preparation period. 

The youth footballers had been idle for the past two months since the completion of the Bangladesh Premier League in May. However, the UEFA A-licenced coach made incredible strides in a short time, preparing the players to be match-fit.

Eventually, proving why Maruful is regarded as the best local coach in the country, the boys in red and green overcame three-time champions India in the penultimate hurdle and two-time champions Nepal in yesterday's final.

Ecstasy was in abundance among the Bangladesh players and coaching staff following a 4-1 victory at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, but they did not forget the heroes who died in the anti-discrimination student-led movement during July-August, as well as the flood victims of late, and dedicated the victory to them.

"I would like to dedicate this trophy to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for a new Bangladesh. We also faced severe flooding, and many people and families are suffering from a lack of food and drinking water. Our new government is working to reform the nation, and I hope this championship will inspire all Bangladeshis to unite and support the country's reform," said coach Maruful at the post-match conference, adding that his players executed the style of play he wanted from the start of the all-important match.

Working as a unit with utmost determination were the promising bunch, comprising Mirajul Islam, Rabby Hossain Rahul, Mohammad Asif, Mehedi Hasan Srabon, Piash Ahmed Nova, Asadul Mollah, Ashraful Haque, Shakil Ahmed Topu, and others, who did not let the initial pressure from Nepal derail them from their ultimate objective.

Mirajul – the tournament's top scorer, with four goals, and its most valuable player – said, "To tell the truth, I never thought I would be the top scorer; it was beyond my expectations. My goal was to advance Bangladesh."

Asif, who was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament, said, "We had never been champions from U-17 to U-20, and we were deeply disappointed after being runners-up in 2022. This time, we wanted to leave the pitch with smiles instead of tears. I can't express my excitement at becoming champions."

Rahul, who also scored one of the four goals in the final, said, "It is impossible to fully express my feelings, and I think this is the biggest achievement of my footballing career. I shared with my teammates that Nepal would be morally high after beating us in the group stage, but we aimed to take advantage of that."