Bangladesh lands Premier League player, and it's not good for Indian football team

Bangladesh men's football team have landed a Premier League player in Leicester City's Hamza Choudhury.

Former Premier League champions Leicester said on Thursday that the 27-year-old midfielder has changed his national allegiance to the Asian country.

Hamza was born in Leicestershire, England. He has represented England in the U-21 and U-23 levels. He became eligible to play for Bangladesh as his mother hails from that country. His father is from Grenada. Hamza obtained a Bangladeshi passport this year and was given a No Objection Certificate by the English Football Association.

Hamza joined Leicester's Academy at the age of just seven and gradually climbed through the ranks. In 2017 he made his Premier League debut, becoming the first person of South Asian origin living in England to play in the English top flight.

What it means for India
India play Bangladesh in their first match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier on March 25, 2025.

While India (126) are relatively better placed than Bangladesh (185) in the FIFA rankings, the neighbours would clearly be bolstered by the inclusion of Hamza, who brings Premier League-level experience. Recently, the Sri Lankan national team also opened its doors to overseas players with roots in the country.

The government of India does not permit the inclusion of Players of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) unless they give up their foreign citizenship and obtain Indian passports.

In 2010, former Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra was willing to play for India. But the move did not materialise as Chopra had to renounce his British citizenship, which he was not willing to at the time. Chopra later played for Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League.