From Manchester to Faridpur: The sad tale of footballer Ripon

The morning sun has just started to shine when we see the cleaners get busy on the premises of the Roads and Highways office in Faridpur. But one of them is a little different, wearing the jersey of a Dhaka-based football club. His physique tells us he has a different story to tell.

Yes, he is not only a sweeper, but also a footballer. He plays for the Faridpur district and in 2019 he played for T&T Club. He could go a long way, but reality has hit him hard.

Eight years back, in 2012, mobile phone operator Airtel (now Robi Axiata Limited) ran a talent hunt campaign, sending 12 young footballers to train at the facilities of the Manchester United. Ripon, now 23, was one of those selected.

Ripon was dreaming big, seeing the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Robin Van Persie gave his dreams colours of the rainbow. However, soon reality happened and he had to make do with the life of a sweeper. Now he only hopes his job as a sweeper gets permanent.

He has to run to the office before the sun rises. It takes him three-four hours to clean the rooms. He needs to clean the toilets, too. Ripon's parents are also cleaners, and now he has been doing it seven months in a calendar year, since 2016.

"Since there are not matches to be played during this time, since March I have been coming everyday now," said the footballer.

But someone who has been to Manchester United, can he be happy cleaning the office rooms? "Things did not change even after my return from the UK. I never got called for the age-level camps. My family is struggling financially. I have to think of the future," Ripon said.

In 2014, Ripon played for Abahani's U-16 team. He later played in third, second and finally first division football, but he did not get the expected remuneration. He also did not get a coach who can help him become a better footballer.

"Such a player working as a sweeper is heart-breaking," says Syed Golam Jilani, a coach employed by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

Ripon did have the talent, as noticed by Manchester United scouts eight years back. But did we do enough to help him grow?