Sheffield United’s Leicester Loanee Hamza Choudhury to Represent Bangladesh
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Choudhury Set to Become Newest Bengal Tiger
After representing England at the Under-21s level, Hamza Choudhury has made the decision to officially swap allegiance to play for Bangladesh at the international level. This marks a historic milestone in the world of football, as he will become the first-ever Premier League player to represent the Bengal Tigers - something that Bangladeshi fans are already calling the greatest achievement in his professional career.
However, the 27-year-old is certainly no stranger to making history, having also done so when he made his Premier League debut for the Foxes in 2017, becoming the first player of Bangladeshi heritage to feature in England’s top flight. Additionally, in 2019, when Leicester won the FA Cup, Choudhury etched his name in the history books once again as the first Bangladeshi to win a major trophy in England.
Although Choudhury was born and raised in Loughborough, Leicestershire, his Bangladeshi heritage comes from his grandparents, making him eligible to represent the South Asian nation in international competition. Last year, the midfielder took the necessary steps to finalise his switch, including obtaining his Bangladeshi passport, and he is said to have received a No Obligation Certificate (NOC) from the English FA, which was submitted to FIFA to ensure a seamless transition.
Discussing his decision to switch allegiance, Choudhury recently told the media in an interview:
"It’s something that’s been in the works for a couple of years. I represented England in the youth team, but as my career progressed, it came to fruition that is not an option for me. It’s something I’ve definitely always had in the back of my mind, that I’d like to represent Bangladesh — and the people of Bangladesh more importantly."
Since emerging from the Leicester City academy as a teenager, Choudhury has amassed over 125 appearances but only featured twice for the Foxes this season before being loaned out to Sheffield United during the winter transfer window. The Tiger’s next fixture is a crucial Asian Cup qualifier against India in March and the midfielder is expected to don the colours of Bangladesh for the first time in that match.
Choudhury will be back in action this weekend when Sheffield United face Portsmouth in the Championship.
