Aminul rues heartbreaking Pakistan defeat, praises booters’ effort

State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque said that the heartbreaking defeat to Pakistan in the semifinals of the ongoing SAFF Championship 2026 was a bitter blow to the country’s football hopes.

Aminul, a former national footballer and member of Bangladesh’s historic 2003 SAFF-winning side, had been hopeful that the current generation would end the long wait for another regional crown.

Despite the heartbreak, he praised the booters for their efforts and the supporters for their wholehearted backing.

“Everyone knows that we are all disappointed. We had hoped to win against Pakistan on Sunday, but unfortunately we could not. A goal in the final moments took away the SAFF title we had been dreaming of,” Aminul told reporters while speaking at the final of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) Media Cup Cricket Tournament.

Although the result went against Bangladesh, Aminul felt the team had given everything on the pitch and the supporters had played their part from the stands.

“The players gave their best, and the supporters poured their hearts into backing the Bangladesh team. Football is a game of goals. Because of that goal in the final moments, we could not win and had to leave the field defeated,” he added.

The former goalkeeper had been optimistic about Bangladesh’s chances from the beginning of the tournament, with the hosts’ emphatic 4-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the group stage raising his expectations further.

“I was very hopeful from the start of the tournament. After the match against Sri Lanka, I became even more optimistic that perhaps we were going to win the SAFF title this time. With that hope, we all went to the stadium yesterday,” he added.

Bangladesh won their only SAFF Championship title in 2003, with Aminul playing a key role between the posts. More than two decades later, he had wanted to see a new generation follow in their footsteps and bring the trophy back to the country.

“Alhamdulillah, I was a proud member of the team that became SAFF champions in 2003. I wanted us to break that record in 2026 and see a new Bangladesh team become champions. But it seems our wait will have to continue a little longer,” he said.

The state minister, however, remains hopeful that Bangladesh will eventually get another chance to celebrate regional glory.

“We will keep waiting, and InshaAllah, we will achieve the SAFF Championship title we have been longing for in the future,” Aminul added.