Ronan Sullivan A new ray of hope for Bangladesh football arrives

Bangladesh has maintained its dominance in SAFF Under-20 football. After 2024, it won the title in 2026 as well.

Bangladesh beat India by 4-3 goals in penalty shootout in the nail-biting final held at National Football Stadium in capital Mal, Maldives on Friday night.

While this success on the field has increased team cohesion, it was American expatriate footballer Ronan Sullivan who stole the spotlight throughout the tournament.

Despite wearing the number 12 jersey, he was a true ‘NO-9’ in his performance on the field.

The Sullivan brothers joined the SAFF Under-20 football camp on March 8. After adapting to the camp in just a few days of practice, Ronan made it clear that he was here for something special.

Ronan was the hero of the victory in the first match against Pakistan. He scored two goals in the team’s 2-0 victory – one with a spectacular free-kick and the other with a perfect header.

He also contributed in the group stage match against India. Riyad scored the goal from a corner taken by Ronan to give the team the lead.

Sullivan’s intelligent football also caught the attention of the audience in the semi-finals and also final.

Ronan’s strength is his ‘game sense’ and ability to adapt quickly, said BD’s coaching staff.

The youngster holds a Bangladeshi passport because his grandmother is Bangladeshi.

Ronan has a strong attachment to his country, his joy with the red and green flags after each goal was genuine.

Ronan’s brother Declan has shown his talent by coming on as a substitute in two matches, including the final.

The team management hopes that the team will be stronger if these expatriate footballers can be included in the camp earlier in the future.

Football runs in the Sullivan family. Their father, Brendan Sullivan, played for five clubs in Australia’s A-League during a six-year professional career. He previously played for the University of Pennsylvania.

His mother played football at Division One level and captained the women’s team at the same university.

Of the four brothers, Quinn Sullivan has already played for the United States youth team and plays for the Philadelphia Union.

His younger brother Kavan also plays for the United States youth international team.