The national under-20 football team is gearing up for the SAFF Championship, which will begin in the Maldives from Monday. The tournament will feature seven South Asian nations, including Bhutan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and hosts Maldives. The team will depart on Friday.
The Bhutan U-20 national team has trained intensively over the past few months.
Players say they feel ready and eager to make their mark, having built strong chemistry by playing together for more than three years.
Although a few members joined only last year, the squad has gained valuable experience by competing in the BOB Bhutan Premier League Qualifiers as part of their preparations.
“We have prepared well over the past two to three months, and our participation in the BPL Qualifiers has further strengthened our readiness. Having played together for more than three years, we have built strong team bonding, and we aim to win the SAFF Championship,” said Rinzin Dorji, the captain of the team.
“Our main goal for this championship is to win the title. Beyond that, we aim to represent our country’s unique values by demonstrating exemplary manners and sportsmanship to other teams,” said Ugyen Dorji, who plays as a defender.
Coach Karma Dema said, “We have many experienced players in this year’s squad, and they are mentally and physically ready. We also have some new players selected last December, and we hope they will perform well.”
Bhutan is in Group A with Nepal, Sri Lanka, and hosts Maldives, while Group B features Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
Bhutan will open their campaign against Nepal on Monday, before facing the Maldives on Wednesday and Sri Lanka on Friday.
The SAFF U-20 tournament follows a two-group format, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals. The final will take place on the 3rd of next month.
Namgay Wangdi
