Ritu Porna is Bangladesh’s Messi: Kiron

Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, chairman of the Bangladesh Football Federation's (BFF) women's wing, made a bold declaration after Bangladesh's historic win over Myanmar, calling Ritu Porna Chakma "Bangladesh's Messi".

"Ritu Porna is Bangladesh's Messi. There's no doubt Hamza [Choudhury] is also a good footballer. Hamza, too, is a matter of pride for our country," Kiron told reporters on Thursday. 

"The Asian Cup Qualifiers are coming up, and I believe Hamza will do well there too. The boys will also make progress. Both the men's and women's teams are ours, there's no need for comparison. But Ritu Porna is our Messi, there's no denying that. The way she dribbles the ball, it's like no one else except Messi."

The 2-1 triumph over higher-ranked Myanmar marked a watershed moment, as Bangladesh secured their first-ever berth in the AFC Women's Asian Cup, set to be held in Australia in March 2026. The tournament will double as qualifiers for both the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

"This is a huge honor for us. Not just for Bangladesh. I've received messages from all over Asia as I'm a member of the AFC Executive Committee and was also a member of the FIFA Council. I have global connections, and everyone has congratulated me on this success. They've said this was possible because of our hard work," Kiron added.

With only six spots available for the World Cup and eight for the Olympics, Bangladesh now finds itself dreaming bigger than ever before. Kiron is determined to turn this rare opportunity into a long-lasting impact.

"Within the next couple of days, I'll speak with the president of the BFF [Tabith Awal]. Of course, we have a plan. Opportunities like this don't come often. Now that we have it, we'll make full use of it. We definitely want to play against stronger teams, because at the Asian Cup, many strong nations will participate -- Japan, Korea, China, Australia. So, we have to prepare with that in mind. Whatever months we get for preparation, we'll make the most of them."

The groundwork for that preparation has already begun.

"I've already spoken to Butler (head coach Peter Butler) with this in mind. Our focus and attention will be on this so that we can achieve something better. Our target will be to finish in the top six. We have a big dream -- to play in the World Cup. That's why we'll take the field and that's what we'll work toward."

As attention on Ritu Porna grows, Kiron believes international interest will follow naturally.

"We'll play many more preparation matches. During this time, we'll play several friendly matches against stronger teams to prepare ourselves and fine-tune our performance. So that when we go into the Asian Cup, we can do something remarkable."

"As for the offers that are coming in, we can't bring them in just by making contact like that. That's not possible. When they go to play the final in Australia, and Ritu Porna performs at this level, you'll see European clubs making offers. Offers will come from various countries. People need to watch the players play. When they do, offers will follow. With a push, players can be placed at good clubs."

However, Kiron expressed concern over some players choosing to play in Bhutan.

"As for playing in Bhutan, they're doing it out of their own will. We actually don't support the idea of playing in the Bhutan league -- because it's not a strong league. They wanted to go, and we thought it would be mentally refreshing for them, so we let them go. But playing in the Bhutan league certainly won't help them improve. They'll need to play in stronger leagues."

With Ritu Porna being hailed as Bangladesh's Messi and the women's team making history, Kiron's focus remains clear: maximise the momentum, prepare relentlessly, and chase the dream of seeing the red and green fly at the World Cup and Olympics.