It may sound like a dream to imagine Bangladesh competing in the FIFA World Cup. Historically, their involvement has never gone beyond the qualifying rounds. Yet, the president of FIFA has sent his warm wishes to them for the World Cup, even claiming he is “waiting” for them to appear on football’s biggest stage.
During the Portugal vs. Austria U-17 World Cup final in Qatar last Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was present in the stands. In a video recorded by an expatriate Bangladeshi, Infantino enthusiastically said,
“𝑮𝒐 𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒉. 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒑.”
Why Did Infantino Mention Bangladesh?
Hearing such a statement naturally raises questions. Infantino is fully aware that Bangladesh has never played in a World Cup, so why would the FIFA chief extend such a message? The explanation lies beyond the football pitch.
In the 2022 World Cup, they proved that they could make a global impact without even qualifying. Their unmatched passion, massive celebrations, and emotional support—especially for Argentina—quickly drew international attention. Argentina’s World Cup–winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez even visited BAN afterward, acknowledging their extraordinary devotion.
As many football analysts believe, Infantino’s message was likely directed at these incredibly passionate fans.
“Bangladeshi supporters have already earned their place on the world stage,” suggested one football observer.
With such global recognition, it seems the FIFA president is eagerly looking forward not to the team on the field, but to the Bangladeshi fans who have become a phenomenon of their own.
Also Read: Iran Set to Boycott World Cup Draw Amid Growing Tensions