Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury feels a strong personal connection to the Bangladesh national football team because of his family, and he still finds it strange that his voyage was so well received by the country's sporting community shortly after FIFA cleared him in December 2024.
The day after his arrival in Dhaka, the 28-year-old England-born Bangladeshi descent signed a deal as the brand ambassador with the private telecom company Robi and shared his personal journey at the ceremony at Robi鈥檚 corporate office on Tuesday.
Hamza, who has represented England at youth level, joined the Bangladesh team through his maternal heritage by completing all the necessary formalities to acquire a Bangladeshi passport.
He started a new chapter in his career by making his national team debut with Bangladesh against India in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Shillong on March 25, 2025. So far, he has represented Bangladesh five times.
鈥業t still feels surreal, to be honest. I just want to be proud of being part of this country and to represent it in any way possible, especially for my parents. I feel blessed that I have the chance to make an entire nation proud,鈥� said Hamza when sharing about his journey for playing Bangladesh.听
Hamza, who has spent many years visiting his extended family in the Habiganj district of Sylhet, received a warm welcome upon his arrival to the country as a national team footballer in March.
He then enjoyed and cherished every bit of that affection, and that has continued until this day.
鈥楾he love I receive here is something I truly cherish. I try to share that love and support with everyone. It even makes my family want to come back. Every time I leave Bangladesh, my kids say they want to return. So, Inshallah, they'll be back again in March (2026),鈥� he continued.
鈥業 don't really think about money separately. What matters most to me is my love for the country and how I can help improve its situation. Contributing to that progress in whatever way I can is one of the main reasons I chose to play for Bangladesh. I have many childhood memories connected to this country, and I truly enjoy being here 鈥� especially to inspire the younger generation to play football,鈥� Hamza added.
听
