We must be doing something right, just need final 2-3 pieces, says Hamza
Not every journey can be measured purely by results. For Hamza Choudhury, his first year-and-a-half with Bangladesh has instead been about getting to know a team that is gradually beginning to take shape.
Choudhury reflected on that journey after Bangladesh fell 1-0 to Singapore at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. The midfielder admitted his time with the national team has brought plenty of ups and downs, with more difficult moments than successful ones so far. Despite that, he firmly believes they are building towards something bigger.
“Personally, it’s been an incredible experience. Alhamdulillah,” Choudhury told FIFA. “There have been ups and downs, of course. Unfortunately, there have probably been more difficult moments than good ones so far, but we’re continuing to work and build towards something better.”
Bangladesh are still developing. According to Choudhury, they are relatively inexperienced when it comes to competing in tournaments such as the ASEAN Cup. That brings its own pressure, but also gives them an opportunity to grow by testing themselves against more established opponents.
For Choudhury, Bangladesh’s progress is not simply reflected in their results, but also in their ability to compete against teams with greater experience and a higher position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
“I thought we were even better today,” he said. “Malaysia are a very good team, and I think we started that match very slowly, which made it difficult to come back against a team of their quality.”
Malaysia sit around 40 to 50 places above Bangladesh in the FIFA ranking. However, Choudhury believes that gap was not always apparent on the pitch. “For us, it’s great to be able to compete at this level,” said Choudhury. “They’re above us in the rankings, but if you look at certain moments on the pitch, you don’t really see that gap. So we must be doing something right.”
Facing teams such as Malaysia is part of the process of finding the pieces that are still missing. Choudhury does not believe Bangladesh have reached the end of their journey. Instead, he feels there are still a few elements that need to fall into place before the team get to the level they want to be at.
“I think we’re just looking for the final two or three pieces of the puzzle, and hopefully we can fit them together perfectly,” said the Sheffield United player.
There is also a more immediate target in sight. Bangladesh will host a major tournament in November, giving Choudhury and his team-mates an opportunity to build on the foundations they have laid. “We’ve got a big tournament at home in November," he said. "So, Inshallah, we’re building towards that and hopefully we can achieve some success.”
Choudhury’s journey with Bangladesh has also brought new experiences away from the pitch. Jakarta has provided another first, with the midfielder visiting Indonesia for the first time. Friends and family members who had previously travelled there had spoken highly of the country, and Choudhury has now experienced it for himself.
“I really like it. I really do! It’s my first time visiting Indonesia,” said Choudhury. “A lot of my friends and some of my family have been here before, and they had nothing but good things to say. So to come here myself has been really nice.
“The people are very friendly. The weather is a little hot for me, but overall I’ve really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can come back another time and maybe visit other parts of Indonesia.”
Choudhury’s attention now turns back to matters on the pitch. Indonesia await on Thursday with a larger crowd that promises to create a different atmosphere. For Bangladesh, it represents another opportunity to measure their progress.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I know there’ll be a much bigger crowd, so it’ll be another valuable experience for us as a team,” Choudhury said.
“Indonesia are a very good team; they have a lot of players playing in Europe’s top leagues. So it’ll be another difficult test for us, but that’s the main reason we’re here: to compete against teams that are currently above us.”
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