After Hamza Choudhury, Bangladesh has added more expatriate footballers to its national team setup. Fahmidul Islam has already received clearance from his club to play in the upcoming match against Singapore. Meanwhile Canadian-born midfielder Shamit Shome is waiting for his turn to debut—and he’s aiming high. The talented player has his sights set on winning a title for Bangladesh.
Speaking on a podcast, Shome expressed his enthusiasm: “I always want to challenge myself in different places and conditions. I’m always ready for it. Representing Bangladesh is a huge honor for me. I’m eager to wear the red and green jersey. I want to use my club experience to help the team and contribute as much as I can. I hope to win a title with everyone.”
Shome born to Bangladeshi parents in Canada, currently plays for Cavalry FC in the Canadian Premier League. He received his clearance from Canada Soccer on May 1. The next day he applied for a Bangladeshi passport at the consulate office of the Bangladesh High Commission in Toronto. After receiving the passport on Monday, his documents were submitted to FIFA’s Players Status Committee. Based on that application, he has been granted permission to represent Bangladesh.
Although he has played two friendly matches for Canada’s senior national team and previously appeared for the U-23 side none of those games were recognized as Tier-1 international fixtures by FIFA. As a result, he remains eligible to represent another country.
If all goes as planned Shamit Shome will make his official debut for Bangladesh on June 10 in the Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore. He is expected to arrive in Bangladesh by June 5.
UA / TDS
