MOTIN MIA – A FAIRYTALE OF A BANGLADESHI FOOTBALLER

There was a dye worker who was bound to bear the expenses of a poor family in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The family was in crisis because his father had died who was the leading earning member of their family. There was two brothers & four sisters in their family. As a dye worker his income was 150-200 Bangladeshi taka per day what was $2-3 in US dollar per day. But one addiction was in his mind for all time that is football. He didn’t get the chance of playing football regularly because of his daily work. But when he got the chance to play football after finishing his daily work, he made proper use of that time. There was no football coach for him to teach the techniques and tactics of modern football. Actually as a natural talent he had no need to extra time for practice. When he got some time for play football that was sufficient for him. Poverty didn’t keep him away to become a footballer because he was very much dedicated to playing football as football was his passion.

Their financial condition started to develop when Motin Mia’s elder brother went to Dubai for job. After that he got more time than before to concentrate on football as well as his football fate started to be better. A national footballer of Bangladesh named Yeamin Munna who was also from Sylhet. Yeamin Munna also playing football for Bangladesh Premier League in Dhaka for a long time. Yeamin Munna introduced him with Saif Sporting Club in Dhaka which is now a famous football club in Bangladesh. At that time Saif Sporting Club was a new football team. They were playing First Division Football League for getting the promotion to play into Premier League.

After getting the chance in Saif Sporting Club, the magic of Motin Mia has been started. In that season, Saif Sporting Club became runners-up in the Bangladesh Championship League and get promoted in the Premier League for next season. Motin Mia scored valuable 5 goals in 12 matches to help his team to get promotion in the Premier League for next season. He was declared as the ‘Player of the Year’ award in that league for his outstanding performance.

Motin Mia’s Premier League football career also full of success. He started his first premier league season for Saif Sporting Club what is also the club’s first season in premier league football. Saif Sporting Club got their first win in premier league football over Arambagh Krira Sangha with the help of a nice goal from Motin Mia. He scored an amazing goal for his club against Muktijoddha Sangsad KC beating 4 defenders & goalkeeper. He got the ball slightly up from their defending line & started to beat the defenders one by one like a snake. At last he beat the goalkeeper & scored a brilliant goal. Bangladesh Football Federation wanted to send the goal for ‘Puskas Award’ but unfortunately they didn’t send it. Next year he joined another club named Bashundhara Kings. Bashundhara Kings won Independence Cup which is the first ever major title of their football history by beating Sheikh Russel KC in 2018. In that final also, Motin Mia scored the winning goal for his team in the extra time of second half.

Motin Mia got his first chance for Bangladesh in Under-23 national football team. He made his Under-23 debut against Thailand during Asian Games on 16 August, 2018. At the same month, He got the chance for the first time in Bangladesh National Football Team. He played his first game against Sri Lanka in an international friendly match on 29 August, 2018. On 19 January, 2020 he scored his first international goal against Sri Lanka in Bangabandhu Cup. In that match, he scored two goals for his country. The second goal was another extraordinary goal. After snatching the ball from a defender at the nearest position of halfway line, Motin Mia started running like a sprinter and scored a fine goal. At that time, he was so fast at running that he ran 55 meters in just 7 seconds.