Sports Desk //

Farhan Ali Wahid is embarking on his journey in the Bangladesh jersey with the ASEAN Cup. This English winger of Bangladeshi descent is one of three new foreign-based players included in national team coach Tom Saintfiet’s squad.

The 19-year-old Farhan is delighted with the warm welcome he has received from his teammates during his first stint with the national team. He aspires to help Bangladesh achieve victory alongside the team’s star player, Hamza Choudhury.

The Bangladesh football team is currently in Jakarta, Indonesia, to compete in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup. After a training session there, Farhan shared his goals while representing Bangladesh.

In a video posted on the BFF’s official Facebook page, Farhan said, “The experience so far has been excellent. This is my first time representing Bangladesh. Everyone on the team has welcomed me warmly; they’ve embraced, helped, and supported me. I feel we can go a long way from here. I take great pride in being part of this team. I really want to perform well for the national team. I believe we can truly achieve something special and build something great together as a team.”

Born and raised in England, Farhan comes from a Bengali family. He received their full support in his decision to play for the national team: “You know, my entire family is Bengali. They were very happy when I made this decision. So, I just want to continue making them proud in the future.”

Farhan is also inspired by the path taken by Hamza Choudhury, another England-based Bangladeshi footballer who plays for the national team. He views Hamza—who made his debut for Bangladesh last year—as a role model for South Asian footballers. In Farhan’s words, “He [Hamza] is a role model for South Asian footballers. I hope to build a strong connection with him on the pitch and help lead Bangladesh to victory.”

Alongside the start of his national team journey, Farhan has also recently embarked on a new experience in club football. He has joined the English fifth-tier side Boreham Wood on loan from the Premier League club Fulham. The winger is set to play for the Hertfordshire-based club for the entire 2026-27 season and has already made four appearances for the team.

There had been considerable speculation regarding Farhan’s chances of breaking into Fulham’s first team. However, he opted to gain experience by playing regular senior football. His goal is to further mature within the lower tiers of English football before stepping onto the big stage. It remains to be seen how he performs for Bangladesh along this journey.

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