Ronan and Declan, Bangladesh’s very own Sullivan brothers, eye ‘ultimate goal’

While brothers Cavan and Quinn Sullivan are making their mark in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, where Lionel Messi also plays, twins Ronan and Declan have taken a different path, connecting with their Bangladeshi heritage and helping the country win the SAFF U-20 Championship.

Bangladesh have already begun tapping into their global diaspora at senior level, with England-born midfielder Hamza Choudhury and Canada-born Shamit Shome among the players to have joined the national team. The Sullivan brothers believe that pool of talent could become much bigger.

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Ronan and Declan, who helped Bangladesh win the SAFF U-20 Championship in April, told The Guardian that their experience had already sparked interest among other eligible players abroad.

“I think a lot of people saw what we did over there and saw how good of an experience that was, and now all of a sudden I’m seeing a lot of foreign players interested in playing for Bangladesh,” Declan said.

The Philadelphia-based twins became eligible through their maternal Bangladeshi heritage and made their Bangladesh debuts at the SAFF U-20 Championship in the Maldives. Ronan famously sealed the final against India with a Panenka in the decisive shootout.

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Reflecting on the moment, Ronan said he would not have believed anyone who had predicted how the tournament would unfold.

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The brothers were also struck by the reception they received after returning to Bangladesh with the trophy. Declan described the team as “the hot new thing in Bangladesh”, while Ronan said the prospect of Bangladesh qualifying for a World Cup would be enough to make the country “explode”.

For Declan, the ultimate ambition is to see Bangladesh tap into its global diaspora and build a squad capable of competing at the highest level.

“Whenever I think about the 64 team [World Cup], I’m thinking, ‘Look, if we get all these players, we have a chance to qualify.’ Like, that’s the dream. That’s the ultimate goal,” he said.