A parting rich in meaning for Rana

In a country where footballers rarely bid farewell on their own terms, former Bangladesh captain and goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana is set for a rare and poetic exit.

The 38-year-old will retire today after featuring for Brothers Union in a Bangladesh Premier League clash against Mohammedan Sporting Club -- the very team where his top-flight journey began in 2014.

As Rana takes his final bow in Cumilla, he will also witness his first club lift the league trophy after 23 years, having already confirmed the BPL title with three games to spare. The Black and Whites are set to don special champion jerseys at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium, while local supporters are expected to contribute to the celebration in their own way.

"It is going to be an emotional moment for me, and I am really happy that I am going to call my time from the ground," Rana told reporters during Brothers Union's practice session at Gopibagh yesterday.

Asked why he chose this particular fixture for his swansong, Rana replied: "I chose Mohammedan because it had been my former club from where I started my top-flight football career."

A mainstay in domestic football and a reliable presence between the sticks for Bangladesh from 2015 to 2022, Rana also played for Chittagong Abahani, Saif Sporting Club and Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra.

"I'm satisfied with my football career because what I am today is because of football, coming from a rural area," he said.

Among his fondest memories is the 1-1 draw against India during the 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in front of a roaring 90,000-strong crowd at Salt Lake Stadium. On the other end of the emotional spectrum lies the aggregate loss to Bhutan in the 2016 Asian Cup Qualifier play-offs -- a painful chapter where he wore the captain's armband.

Post-retirement, the 38-year-old is not planning to stray far from football. With an AFC 'B' diploma already in hand, he hopes to contribute as a goalkeeping coach, be it at club level or with the national age-group teams. He also intends to pursue an AFC Goalkeeping License.

"Playing top-flight football and representing the national team have been great honours," Rana said. "But I still have one regret -- we couldn't take the country's football back to the craze it once enjoyed. I would have been happier had we managed that."