A dream came true for a young Asian football squad when The FA opened up Wembley Stadium for a special behind the scenes tour last week.
The Bangladesh Youth Football Academy (BYFA) are sponsored by Canary Wharf PLC and supported by League Two club, Dagenham & Redbridge. The U15 squad are currently in the UK for a special three-week football trip.
Daggers skipper, Anwar Uddin, is an ambassador for the BYFA and their tour of Wembley included a look at the dressing rooms used by the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, the media facilities used by Fabio Capello for post-match press conferences and a chance to get up close with the one of the world’s most famous trophies, The FA Cup.
And The FA made it a day to remember for the young squad from Dhaka by giving all 23 players their very own replica England shirt.
Canary Wharf PLC’s Zakir Khan explained more about the BYFA: "We’d like to enable more players of Bangladeshi origin to play professional football both in the UK and internationally, while helping to improve the standards of Bangladesh’s domestic game which is a national passion.
"This tour is a life changing experience for them and we already have professional clubs in Bangladesh queuing up to sign them when they return.
"However, the benefits are much wider than those gained by the players themselves. When these boys succeed, they inspire those from similar backgrounds to emulate them."
Canary Wharf’s initial trials for the Academy attracted over 6,000 youngsters from across Bangladesh and Anwar Uddin is hopeful that the BYFA is the start of something big for the country. He said: "The academy is a great thing for Bangladesh for more than just footballing reasons.
"It provides an opportunity for kids in a third world country to realise a dream that seemed so far from reality. It binds the east and west and will contribute to the rise of Bangladeshi football."
The BYFA’s football tour includes games against both West Ham United and Dagenham & Redbridge’s U15 squads plus coaching sessions with the David Beckham Academy and West Ham United’s Football in the Community team.