Premature celebrations, lost opportunities
It was a hot, electric night in Dhaka. The floodlit stands roared as thousands of voices merged into the humid air. The scoreboard showed Bangladesh trailing by two goals against Hong Kong, time slipping away, yet hope still flickered. Then came a twist of fortune: a failed clearance from the opposing goalkeeper sent the ball to Sheikh Morsalin inside the penalty area. In a flash, he struck -- and the ball nestled into Hong Kong's net. The National Stadium erupted, the echo of that goal rippling through the night sky. What followed, though, said a great deal about Bangladeshi football.
Morsalin sprinted towards the corner and launched into Cristiano Ronaldo's famous "Siu" celebration -- arms wide, chest out, eyes blazing. The crowd clapped, cameras flashed. Yet the scoreboard still showed Bangladesh behind in the 2026 Asian Cup Qualifiers match. Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome dashed to collect the ball from the net, shouting, "Quick, don't waste time!" While Morsalin basked in the moment, Shamit and others were already thinking about how to keep the fight alive.
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A week later in Hong Kong, the pattern repeated. It was a must-win fixture at Kai Tak Stadium for Bangladesh to keep their chances of progress alive, with still one-third of group stage action left to play. Once more, Bangladesh trailed by a goal. Then, from Fahamedul Islam's header, Rakib Hossain darted forward and flicked the ball past the keeper with a deft touch. The visitors were level, but the task was unfinished.
As the crowd roared, Rakib climbed onto an electric board by the stands, smiling broadly as he celebrated. For an instant, he looked every inch the hero. Yet the clock was ticking and the mission remained incomplete. Hamza Choudhury, reading the situation clearly, ignored the celebration, retrieved the ball, and sprinted to the centre circle for the restart.
These moments frame a larger picture of our sporting mindset. Too many of our players find satisfaction in brief flashes of individual success -- a goal, a fifty, a wicket -- without seeing how much work still lies ahead. The context of the game, the needs of the team, the urgency of the situation often fade in that instant of self-recognition. Team sport, however, thrives on collective focus. A single act of indulgence can cost momentum, even results.
Players like Shamit and Hamza, who grew up in different sporting cultures, seem to approach these moments with a broader sense of awareness. For them, victory begins with composure. They understand that unchecked emotion, no matter how joyous, can fracture rhythm and concentration -- as Bangladesh discovered in Dhaka, having ended on the losing side despite overturning a 3-1 deficit in the dying minutes of a thrilling encounter.
This contrast of awareness highlights a gap between local and overseas-groomed Bangladeshi players. Many of our homegrown footballers have learned to imitate Ronaldo's celebrations but have yet to embrace the discipline that gives them meaning. Ronaldo still trains relentlessly, even after hundreds of goals. His gestures mark a milestone earned through work and control. In chasing the spectacle, our players too often forget the effort behind it.
The same theme echoes in cricket. During a T20 World Cup, Mushfiqur Rahim's early boundary celebration against India became a viral meme, yet little seems to have changed in attitude since then.
That's one of the challenges for Bangladesh football. The night they glance at the scoreboard before spreading their arms will be the night the team begin to flourish -- and sustain it.
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