Inspired by Suriname, Bangladesh place Asian Cup hopes on diaspora players
While the result was a setback, Bangladesh might take inspiration from Suriname, a small South American nation and a former Dutch colony that has quietly risen through the ranks of world football—largely thanks to players of Surinamese descent born in the Netherlands.
Bangladesh football, long dormant on the international stage, is beginning to dream again—this time with renewed hope thanks to the emergence of expatriate players. In their Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on 10 June, five players in Bangladesh's starting XI were from the diaspora. Although the team narrowly lost 2–1, the shift in approach has sparked a fresh wave of optimism.
While the result was a setback, Bangladesh might take inspiration from Suriname, a small South American nation and a former Dutch colony that has quietly risen through the ranks of world football—largely thanks to players of Surinamese descent born in the Netherlands.
Despite having a population of under 650,000, Suriname are daring to dream of World Cup qualification for the first time. Ranked 137th globally, they have reached the third round of the CONCACAF qualifiers, and now stand just one step away from a historic debut—needing only to top their group to secure a spot at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Remarkably, 23 of Suriname's 26-man squad are players of Surinamese heritage born and raised in the Netherlands. Their success is a powerful reversal of decades past, when Surinamese-descended stars such as Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, and Clarence Seedorf powered the Netherlands to their 1988 European Championship victory. That Dutch triumph also stirred pride in Suriname, with the trio's roots deeply embedded in the Caribbean country.
Many others have followed in their footsteps—current Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk, Xavi Simons, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Denzel Dumfries all have Surinamese parentage. For years, there was regret in Suriname over the loss of such talent to the Netherlands. But that changed six years ago when the country lifted restrictions preventing dual nationals from representing the national team. Since then, a new era has begun, driven by diaspora players.
Although geographically located in South America, Suriname compete in the CONCACAF region—an alignment that may work in their favour. With the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, the region now offers more qualification spots, increasing Suriname's chances.
"We carry the dreams of the entire nation," said Surinamese Football Association president Surin Matura. "We've made a lot of progress—out of 41 teams in CONCACAF, we are now among the top 14."
Coach Roberto Hurtiquen is optimistic about their chances. His side topped their group in the second round with 10 points from four matches. "We definitely have a good chance to qualify for the World Cup. The credit goes to our diaspora players who've raised the standard of Surinamese football. If we make it to the World Cup, Suriname will be firmly placed on the global map," he said.
Bangladesh, for now, may not be dreaming on such a grand scale. But with players like Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome now part of the conversation, there's every reason to believe that qualifying for the Asian Cup could be a realistic short-term goal.
