‘I will go up to Messi and ask him, how do you play so brilliantly?’

After becoming champions, you were thinking of your late mother. What was going through your mind…

Whenever I achieve something big, I think of my mother. Whenever something bad happens, I’m also reminded of my mother. My mother’s support is the only reason why could get into football. I lost my mother when I was young. On Thursday, after I won my first title as captain, I was missing my mother a lot. However, there is someone else now who I address as ‘mom’.

Who is she?

My coach Jewel bhai (local coach at Kalsindur villahe Jewel Ahmed) addresses me as sister. So, I call his mother ‘mom’. I used to stay at Jewel bhai’s home when I started playing football. His mother adores me. I like to eat duck and so before the final, ‘mom’ cooked duck and sent it to me. At the camp, all of us ate it together at night.

Your family members must have watched you in the final…

Everyone watched me play. My three-year old nephew teased me saying, aunt, you keep falling to the ground again and again. He also said, I will hit everyone who makes you fall (smiles).

How did you celebrate in the night after becoming champions?

There was a lot of cheering in my room. My roommates Marzia apu, Anika Tanjum and the juniors were there. Usually I don’t get to spend time with them separately. On the night we became champions, I had a long chat with them all.

Earlier, you have played in the championship winning U-15, U-18, U-19 and SAFF teams. This time you played a crucial role in the team’s victory at the U-20 SAFF Championship. You are the only Bangladeshi footballer to take part in all SAFF champion teams. How does it feel after achieving a feat like this?

I was eligible to play in all of those age-level tournaments and I performed well enough to get called up to those teams. As I am still a junior, I try to make use of whatever opportunity I get of playing in the senior team. I was the captain in the last two age-level tournaments but couldn’t lead the team to the trophy. This time, I’m really happy after winning the championship as captain.

Out of the tournaments you have won, which one is your favourite?

When I took part in my first international competition for the U-15 team in the U-15 SAFF Championship in Dhaka back in 2017, I didn’t realise what an honour it was to represent the country. Sir (head coach Golam Rabbani) gave me a chance to play in the added minutes of the match against India. I still remember, I made two runs in that game. Those runs impressed sir. From then on, he would give me 5-10 minutes in every game. The coaches would say, if you get on the field in the last part of the game, the opposition players would run out of breath trying to catch up with your runs. I have gained experience through playing more. Now, I have the confidence to play full time.

You are saying that earlier you didn’t quite realise the prestige in representing one’s country. After a six-year-long international career, what’s your thinking?

At first I didn’t really realise what football was, I didn’t know there was so much to football. I started playing football because I liked the game. From there, I’ve reached this far. Now, I feel the urge to do something for the country.

How promising are the players in the current U-20 team?

Everyone in the team is hungry for success. In defence, there is Surma, Pranti, Nasrin, in midfield, there is Unnoti, Mahfuza, Sohagi, Shopna. All of them are playing really well. Whoever is getting called up is doing well. Unnoti came in as substitute for Mahfuza in the final and scored.