Shuki cherishes Bangladesh debut despite defeat

Shuki Itofusa did not expect his Bangladesh debut to come so soon, but when the opportunity came, the Japan-based forward was ready.

The 22-year-old came on at the start of the second half for Fahamedul Islam in Bangladesh's FIFA ASEAN Cup opener against Malaysia on Friday. Bangladesh eventually lost 3-0, but Shuki showed glimpses of what he could offer during his 45 minutes on the pitch.

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For Shuki, though, the significance of the occasion went beyond the result. Wearing the Bangladesh jersey had been a childhood dream.

"Wearing the national team jersey and playing on the field for my country has been my dream since childhood. I am very happy that I have been able to turn that dream into reality," Shuki told reporters following the team’s training session on Saturday.

He felt there was room for improvement in his first appearance and was particularly keen to work on his fitness and conditioning.

"As for my performance in yesterday's match, there are still some areas where I need to improve. I want to work hard to improve my fitness and conditioning. At the same time, I want to contribute more to the team by scoring goals and providing assists," he said.

Shuki had been hoping for the chance to represent Bangladesh, but did not expect it to arrive in his first game with the team.

"I actually never thought that I would make my debut yesterday, but I was prepared to fight for my country," he said.

His transition into the Bangladesh dressing room has also been made easier by his teammates, despite the language barrier. Shuki knows that most of his teammates do not speak Japanese, but they have found simple ways to communicate.

"My teammates use English or simple gestures, which I can understand to some extent. Some of my teammates also always look after me and talk to me. So, I am now able to communicate with them to a certain extent," he said.

"I am really enjoying my time here and there are no problems."