Beyond the Scoreline: Assessing Bangladesh's Football Progression

Bangladesh had pledged to take on Australia in the World Cup qualifiers, but the outcome was far from promising. The sight of a significant defeat was highly disheartening, as the Socceroos triumphed over Bangladesh with a scoreline of 7-0. This marked a stark contrast to 2015 when Bangladesh, even in the qualifying round against Australia, did not face such a comprehensive loss. The question arises: where has football in Bangladesh progressed? The grandiose statements made by the coach, organizers, or players before the match seemed to hold no value in the end.

Football is evolving globally, with dynamic playstyles and continuously improving skills. New techniques and tactics are making the game more enjoyable but also more challenging. The competitive landscape is narrowing the gap between rivals. Unfortunately, while the rest of the world advances, Bangladesh appears to be falling behind—a recurring pattern over the last few years with one step forward and two steps back.

Former footballer Taklis Ahmed expressed disappointment with Bangladesh's performance against Australia, asserting that the team played better football a decade ago. Lodvik de Cruyff, who once coached the Bangladesh team, transformed the team's identity with his coaching philosophy. Ahmed lamented on Facebook, highlighting the organized state of the Bangladesh team during that period. However, political favoritism toward a particular club cost him his job. The recent 7-0 loss to Australia in 2023, compared to the 2015 defeats of 5-0 and 4-0, illustrates a concerning decline.

Bangladesh began the year with a FIFA ranking of 192. Despite drawing 1-1 in the first leg of the World Cup qualifiers against the Maldives on October 12, they secured a 2-1 victory in the second leg four days later, advancing to the second round with a 3-2 aggregate lead. This achievement elevated Bangladesh to 183rd place in the latest FIFA rankings. However, this was a far cry from the time when they regularly held a ranking between 140 and 160. The glorious days of football are now distant memories, marked by dwindling attendance even in international matches.

The decline in football's popularity is attributed to failures and corruption, with the blame falling on the policymakers, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). The BFF's prolonged tenure has seen no substantial contribution to the sport or its players. Frustrated youth express their discontent with the BFF's current activities on social media. Former footballer Taklis Ahmed suggests that prioritizing football over personal gain could lead to a revival of the sport's golden era.

The lamentation of this ex-footballer mirrors the current state of Bangladeshi football. Fans hold onto hope that specific planning at the policy-making level will guide football back to its glory days.