Three under-12 footballers were short-listed yesterday after an open trial to represent Bangladesh in the Football for Friendship project to be held in Russia in June-July this year.

The footballers are Daanial Karim Ansari, a seventh grade student of Australian International School in Dhaka, Golam Rabbi, a sixth grade student of Sohidnagar High School in Narayanganj and Sampad Hasan, a sixth grade student of Hazi Ibrahim Alam Chand High School in Narayanganj. Out of the three youngsters, one will be finally chosen by the BFF Development committee within a couple of days.

“Some 200 budding footballers including a dozen from English medium schools took part in the trial and three have initially been selected. The final selection will be carried out by the BFF Development Committee within a short period of time,” informed BFF technical coordinator BA Jubair Nipu yesterday.

The selected player from Bangladesh will play as a striker in one of the eight groups during the Football for Friendship project, which will run alongside this year's FIFA Confederations Cup, in Russia.

Football for Friendship, an international children's social project organised by FIFA's and the 2018 FIFA World Cup's official partner Gazprom, will be the fifth edition of the project. Bangladesh have been named for the first time as 64 boys and girls from as many countries will be participating in the event.

The participating boys and girls will also get the opportunity to discuss with famous footballers and journalists and watch the final match of the Confederations Cup at the St Petersburg Stadium.