In Peter Butler’s system, the Bangladesh goalie is also the first attacker.

"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. 

Having already secured their place in the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the very first time, Bangladesh women’s football team now has a chance to qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics as well.

The Asian Cup berth not only gives Bangladesh an opportunity to rub shoulders against the top 11 teams of the continent, it also opens up their path to the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and the Los Angeles Olympics the following year.

In the heart of Yangon, under the weight of history and the roar of a partisan crowd, Bangladesh women’s team paid a tribute to the beautiful game by being tactically astute, fearless in execution, and united in belief.

The Chief Adviser also hoped that this achievement would inspire the next generation and uplift the country’s stature on the international stage in the coming days.

If Turkmenistan fail to beat Bahrain, Bangladesh will reach uncharted territory in just their third attempt to compete in Asia Cup

Peter Butler's charges beat favourites Myanmar 2-1 in Asian Cup Qualifiers

Bangladesh have outgrown their ranking. The numbers just haven't caught up yet.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 3:30pm (Bangladesh time) at the Thuwunna Stadium on Wednesday.

Like many of her teammates, every time Ritu laces up her boots, she brings a piece of that journey with her. And it shows.

The team faces a challenging path, beginning their campaign against Jordan on June 29, followed by a crucial clash with hosts and group favourites Myanmar on July 2.

The latest rankings, released by FIFA on Thursday, brought welcome news for Bangladesh as they emerged as the only South Asian nation to improve their position. 

The result, following a similar strong showing against a much higher-ranked Indonesia in the series opener, provides a timely boost for Peter Butler’s side ahead of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers in June–July

The women in red and green impressed in their tournament opener, holding much higher-ranked Indonesia (94th) to a goalless draw on Saturday. The spirited performance from Bangladesh, ranked 133rd, drew praise from both their captain and head coach.

Bangladesh will next face a steeper challenge against Jordan, ranked 74, on June 3 at the same venue.

BFF's women’s team squad post became a surprising hotspot for ticket-related complaints.

At the heart of the current issue lies a broader question: What kind of culture does BFF want to foster?

The Bangladeshi quartet accounted for 25 of the 28 goals between them in a staggering display of dominance at the Samtse Artificial Turf.

Unless reconciliation happens -- unless Butler and the BFF work to reintegrate the veterans and unify the squad -- Bangladesh could head into the Asian qualifiers at risk of squandering hard-won momentum.