Cabrera expects Hamza to feature in Bangladesh’s Asian Cup qualifiers opener
The Spaniard admitted he would have liked the England-born player to participate in the upcoming FIFA friendlies against the Maldives next month, but with Hamza still recovering from a shoulder injury, Cabrera is content to wait for his star player's return.
Bangladesh football head coach Javier Cabrera told the media today that he expects Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury to feature in the starting line-up for the AFC Asian Cup opener in March next year.
The Spaniard admitted he would have liked the England-born player to participate in the upcoming FIFA friendlies against the Maldives next month, but with Hamza still recovering from a shoulder injury, Cabrera is content to wait for his star player's return.
Bangladesh is set to host the Maldives in two FIFA friendlies on November 13 and 16, with both fixtures holding potential significance for the team's FIFA ranking.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Hamza, who suffered the injury during a Leicester training session on October 5, is currently in recovery. Additionally, some paperwork remains to be completed regarding his eligibility to represent Bangladesh.
Speaking on Hamza's status, Cabrera said, "What is positive is that he is going to join us soon. If you have to choose, I would prefer him to join now, especially as we are playing at home, where he could feel the support of our fans. But we need to ensure he is available for the first match of the Asian Cup Qualifiers—that's the priority."
The coach also noted that Hamza had made the final decision to represent Bangladesh, marking a significant moment for the team: "The good thing is he has finally decided that he wants to play for us. It's a positive development for the Bangladesh national team."
Ranked 185th in the world, Bangladesh will play six matches in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, beginning on March 25, with the last match scheduled for March 31, 2026.
Cabrera expressed optimism about securing victories in both matches against the Maldives, which could improve Bangladesh's position in the upcoming qualifiers' draw. "It's a difficult challenge for us, but we are very happy to play at home. We are confident we can secure as many wins as possible, ideally two. If we win both games, we are likely to enter Pot 3 of the Asian Cup Qualifiers, which would be a significant step forward for next year's fixtures," he added.
Cabrera also shared that the team's training camp for the Maldives friendlies would start on November 1 with 14 to 15 players, before players from Bashundhara Kings join on November 14.
