Bashundhara Kings


Bashundhara Kings is a football team from Nilphamari, Bangladesh. They clinched the title of the 2017 Bangladesh Championship League, the second tier of the professional football league, in their maiden appearance.

History

Inception

The club started their football journey with 2016 DCC Pioneer League, where they finished the league at 3rd position. The club were promoted to Third Division Football League but they decided to play Bangladesh Championship League, which is the second-tier league of the country, by fulfilling all the conditions to participate. In March 2017, the club got green signal from Bangladesh Football Federation to participate.
On May 13, 2017 the club completed their player registration for 2017 Bangladesh Championship League. Former national team striker Rokonuzzaman Kanchan was named as captain for the season by the club officials.

2017–18 season

Bashundhara Kings played their first official match against Uttar Baridhara SC on 7 August 2017 during 2017 Bangladesh Championship League. Ripon Biswas scored the first-ever goal for the club in same match.
On August 18, 2017 the club tasted their maiden victory in the league where they beat NoFeL Sporting Club by 1–0 goal. Captain Rokonuzzaman Kanchan scored the winning goal for his club.
On 4 November 2017, Kings confirm their participation at Premier League as they clinch the title of 2017 Bangladesh Championship League after a dramatic 2–1 victory over Agrani Bank with one match remaining.
They even had the luxury of fielding the club's president-cum-player Md Imrul Hassan as a striker for a few minutes before the final whistle. Imrul, who did not play in any of the previous matches, did not get to touch the ball, but was nevertheless happy to indulge in the winning feeling with his players.
Veteran striker Kanchan scored 11 goals for the club and was the second-top scorer of the tournament after Ariful Islam scored 12 goals for NoFeL Sporting Club. On 11 November 2017, Bangladesh Football Federation handed over the champion trophy to the club which is the first-ever domestic trophy for the club.

2018–19 season

On 29 July 2018, Bashundhara Kings officially started their player transfer formalities for upcoming 2018–19 season as they inked the contract papers with forward Tawhidul Alam Sabuz, defender Nurul Nayeem Faisal and midfielder Mohammad Ibrahim during the signing ceremony.

On 5 September 2018, the club officially announced the name of Spaniard Oscar Bruzon as their new head coach for upcoming season. He is also the first-ever foreign coach appointed by the club.
On 16 September 2018, Bashundhara Kings formally inked the deal with Costa Rican forward Daniel Colindres for 2018–19 season. Colindres was part of the 23-man Costa Rica squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
On 21 September 2018, Kings played their first-ever home match at Sheikh Kamal Stadium against New Radiant SC from Maldives during a friendly match. The Kings completely obliterated their opponent by 4–1 goals where Haitian forward Kervens Belfort, Gambian forward Ousman Jallow and local forwards Tawhidul Alam Sabuz and Mahbubur Rahman Sufil scored one goal apiece in this international club friendly.
On 13 October, the club completed their player registration for upcoming season. The club submitted a list of 32 registered players to BFF, including three foreign footballers.
On 29 October 2018, The Kings started their 2018 Bangladesh Federation Cup journey as they beat falling giant Dhaka Mohammedan 5–2, thanks largely down to Colindres’ brilliant performance. World Cupper Daniel Colindres was on fire again as his treble powered his team into to the semifinals of the tournament with an imposing 5–1 win over Team BJMC in the last quarterfinal. In the semifinal, Tawhidul Alam Sabuz came on from the bench in the 70th minute, scoring the winning goal in the extra time to make it 1–0 against Sheikh Russel KC and carried the Kings to the final. But they lost the final 3–1 to Dhaka Abahani on 23 November.
On 2 December 2018, Bashundhara Kings kicked off their 2018 Independence Cup campaign with a dominant 2–0 win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. On 14 December 2018, Goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico's heroic performance in shootout after Costa Rican Daniel Colindres' shining display helped Kings edge a spirited Rahmatganj MFS 3–2 in tiebreak in the fourth quarterfinal of the tournament. On 20 December 2018, Another heroic performance by goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico propelled Bashundhara Kings to the Independence Cup final with a 7-6 win on penalties over Dhaka Abahani.
On 26 December 2018, Bashundhara Kings laid their hands on their first silverware in top-flight football with a 2-1 win against former champions Sheikh Russel KC in an entertaining final of the Walton Independence Cup, thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute forward Motin Mia after Marcos Vinicius's early strike was cancelled out by Sheikh Russel's Raphael Odovin in the stoppage time of the first half.
On 19 January 2019, Kings won their debut encounter of the league by prevailing over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 1-0 goal. Marcos Vinicius scored the lone goal of the match to help Kings triumph. On 23 January 2019, Bashundhara Kings made a dream debut in their home ground Sheikh Kamal Stadium as they beat defending champions Dhaka Abahani by 3-0 margin.
On 29 April 2019, it was confirmed that Trinidadian forward Willis Plaza is set to join the club on a loan move from Churchill Brothers S.C. for the second leg of Bangladesh Football Premier League.
On 7 July 2019, Bashundhara Kings beat Team BJMC 2–0 at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari on Sunday afternoon to further bolster their position at the top of the BPL table. It was Bashundhara Kings’ 12th straight victory of the season—the longest winning streak in the history of BPL.
On 25 July 2019, Bashundhara Kings have clinched the title of Bangladesh Premier League 2018-2019 season creating history by claiming the title in their maiden appearance with their 1-1 goal draw against Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari on Thursday.
The star-studded Bashundhara Kings emerged new champions with two matches to spare. Bashundhara Kings became the first team to claim the title in their maiden run in the league since the introduction of the professional league in the nation.
This is the second major soccer trophy for Bashundhara Kings in the season after the Independence Cup Football after finishing runners-up in the season’s curtain raiser meet—Federation Cup Football. On 3 August 2019, Bashundhara Kings concluded their memorable debut season in the Bangladesh Premier League with a 1-1 draw against Chittagong Abahani Limited. In what was a dominant league performance throughout the season, the Kings lost only once, against Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra, and finished with 63 points from 24 matches.

2019–20 season

On 3 September 2019, Kings took another step in their bid to bolster their star-studded squad for the upcoming season by completing the signing of rising Lebanon International striker Mohamed Jalal Kdouh.
On 22 October 2019, Gokulam Kerala FC of India made a flying start in the eight-team 2019 Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup upsetting Kings by 3-1 goals in their first match. On 24 October 2019, Bashundhara Kings clinched their first win of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup after beating nine-man Chennai City FC 3-2 in an eventful encounter where four red cards were splashed on and off the pitch, including the head coaches of the two teams. On 26 October 2019, Bashundhara Kings were ruled out of the tournament after losing to Terengganu FC 4-2 in their must-win match of the final group round fixtures.
On 7 November 2019, it was revealed that Kings signed Bangladesh-origin Finland right-back Tariq Kazi to bolster their defense for the upcoming season.
On 19 December 2019, Bashundhara Kings began their TVS Federation Cup 2019 campaign with a 1-0 win over Brothers Union. New signing Lebanese striker Mohamed Jalal Kdouh netted the all-important goal in the opening half. On 3 January 2020, Kings reached the final of Bangladesh Federation Cup eliminating newcomers Bangladesh Police FC by 3-0 goals in the second semifinal. On 5 January 2020, Daniel Colindres scored twice as Bashundhara Kings clinched the title of the Federation Cup for the first time following a 2-1 win over Rahmatganj MFS in the final. The achievement also ensured Bashundhara’s play-off berth in next season’s AFC Cup. Daniel Colindres was named player of the tournament.
On 2 February 2020, it was revealed that Former Argentina international Hernan Barcos will be playing for Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings in their upcoming AFC Cup campaign and the second phase of the league, confirmed club president Imrul Hassan.
On 13 February 2020, Defending champions Bashundhara Kings managed a hard-fought 1-0 goal victory over newcomers Uttar Baridhara Club in the opening match of the Bangladesh Premier League at their home venue at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari.
On 11 March 2020, Argentine striker Hernan Barcos made a remarkable debut in Bangladesh with a sensational quadruple as Bashundhara Kings kicked off their maiden 2020 AFC Cup campaign from Group E with a dominating 5-1 win over TC Sports Club. Barcos, who featured for Argentina national team four times, headed his first two goals within half an hour before netting two more after the break, while skipper Daniel Colindres added the other to record Bashundhara’s biggest win of the season. It was arguably the best performance of the season from the Kings whose goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico also starred in between the posts by making three penalty saves, one of which was scored on the rebound during Easa Ismail’s equalizer, while the other was retaken and saved again with a dive to his left.
On 17 May 2020, The BFF executive committee, following an emergency meeting, declared the 12th edition of the league abandoned, scrapping promotion and relegation while canceling the Independence Cup from the calendar as a precaution to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country. On 10 June 2020, Bashundhra Kings released their Costa Rican World-Cupper Daniel Colindres after a nearly two-year stint with the club.

Shirt sponsors

Home venue

The 20,000-plus-capacity Sheikh Kamal Stadium is the current home ground of Bashundhara Kings. It is situated at Nilphamari District.
In 2020, Kings’ home venue, Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, has taken a brand new look as the whole stadium has dawned Bashundhara Kings themed colors. With the deep orange-red and white harmoniously coexisting and Bashundhara Kings written in huge letters, it surely is a sight to see.

Bashundhara Sports Complex

Bashundhara Sports Complex is going to be the next destination of Kings. In the North Zone of the complex, there will be a football facility with a state-of-the-art natural grass playground of FIFA standard. Complimented with international standard dressing room facilities for both home and away team and match officials, 10,000 capacity gallery, VIP boxes, press conference, press box for proper broadcasting requirements and with broadcast-quality lighting of international standard.

International club friendly

Current technical staff

RoleName
Head Coach Óscar Bruzón
Assistant Coaches Mahabub Hossain Roksy
Abu Ahmed Faysal
S. M. Asifuzzaman
Goalkeeping Coaches A.K.M. Nuruzzaman
Salim Miah
Fitness Coach Javier Sánchez Flores
Head of Strategy and Planning Bayazid Alam Zubair Nipu
Manager S. M. Wasimuzzaman
Physio Abu Sufian Sarkar
Koushik Roy
Media Manager Ahmed Shaaek
Youth Coach Toufiqul Islam Polas

Team records

Head coach's record

CoachFromToPWDLGSGA%W
S. M. AsifuzzamanAugust 2017November 2017
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Óscar BruzónSeptember 2018
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Top scorers

SeasonPlayerGoals
2017–18 Rokonuzzaman Kanchan
11
2018–19 Marcos Vinícius
18

Honours

League

Notable players

Asia
North America
South America
Current rank Country Team Points
139Nebitçi FT6.05
140Al Wathba5.46
141Bashundhara Kings5.42
142Saham Club5.33
143Safa SC5.32