What a story for Bangladesh’s women’s football team. They’re officially headed to the AFC Women’s Asia Cup first for the country.
And they got there by beating Myanmar, a team that was supposed to be way better, ranked 78 spots higher. They have one last game against Turkmenistan.
While it technically doesn’t matter for the standings, they’re determined to go out on a high note. One of the players said it simply on Thursday: “We want to finish the tournament with a win.”
Rituparna Chakma Shines, Draws High Praise
Forward Rituparna Chakma scored twice against Myanmar and quickly became the name on everyone’s lips. She has been dubbed the “Messi of Bengal” by the head of the Bangladesh Football Federation’s women’s wing.
Rituparna credited her coach for the team’s success.
“We’ve got a really good coach. He always wants the best for us,” she said. “I didn’t know about the praise. I’m not sure how much I deserve it.”
Her goals in the Myanmar match helped flip expectations and solidify Bangladesh’s place among rising forces in Asian women’s football.
Coach Peter Butler’s System Paying Off
Head coach Peter Butler has been praised for building a structured system that suits the team’s strengths. He has focused on discipline, recovery, and consistency throughout the qualifiers.
Despite a few injury concerns, Butler has maintained a strong lineup approach.
“Some players needed rest, so we gave them recovery time today,” said a staff member. “The rest trained as usual, and we’ll go in with a competitive squad.”
Even though the final game won’t affect Bangladesh’s qualification status, team morale remains high and the goal is clear — finish strong.
From Regional Success to Continental Dreams
Bangladesh’s women’s team has already earned back-to-back South Asian titles. Their performance in Myanmar signals progress beyond the regional level.
Still, team leaders say this is just the beginning.
“This is a proud moment. No women’s team from Bangladesh has ever reached this stage before,” the captain said. “But we want more. We want to get to the World Cup.”
With momentum on their side and a generation of young talent stepping up, the team is looking to turn belief into action. One win at a time.
