Farhaan Ali Wahid is beginning his stint with the Bangladesh national team at the ASEAN Cup. The UK-born winger is one of three new foreign-born players in coach Thomas Dooly’s squad.
The 19-year-old Farhaan has been impressed by the warm welcome he received from his new teammates during his first experience with the national team. The winger wants to help Bangladesh win alongside star midfielder Hamza Choudhury.
Bangladesh are currently in Jakarta, Indonesia, to play in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup. After training with the team there, Farhaan spoke about his ambitions with Bangladesh.
In a video posted on the Bangladesh Football Federation’s official Facebook page, Farhaan said, “So far, the experience has been really good. This is my first experience with Bangladesh. Everyone in the team has welcomed me really well. They have made me feel at home, helped me and supported me. I feel we can go a long way from here. I feel very proud to be part of this team. I really want to do well for the national team. I think we can really do something. As a team, we can build something from here.”
Farhaan was born and raised in England, but his entire family is Bengali. He also received his family’s support when he decided to play for Bangladesh.
“You know, my whole family is Bengali. So when I made the decision, they were very happy. So I just want to continue making them proud in the future.”
Another Bangladesh-origin footballer based in England, Hamza Choudhury’s decision to play for Bangladesh has also inspired Farhan.
Hamza, who made his Bangladesh debut last year, is a role model for South Asian footballers, according to Farhan.
“He (Hamza) is a role model for South Asian footballers. Hopefully, I can build a connection with him on the pitch and help Bangladesh win.”
Alongside beginning his international career, Farhaan has recently embarked on a new chapter in club football. He joined fifth-tier English club Boreham Wood on loan from Premier League side Fulham. The winger will spend the entire 2026–27 season with the Hertfordshire club and has already made four appearances for them.
There had been considerable discussion for some time about Farhaan's chances of breaking into Fulham’s first team. However, he has opted to gain experience by playing regular senior football. His aim is to further develop himself in the lower levels of English football before making the step up to the bigger stage. Now, it remains to be seen how he performs for Bangladesh on this journey.