Neymar's former mentor applies for Bangladesh head coach role

The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has received over 300 applications for the position of national team head coach, including one from Brazilian coach Rogerio Micale, who led Brazil to Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio Games.

Micale, 57, was the head coach of the Brazil team that defeated Germany in the Olympic final at the iconic Maracana Stadium. He has also coached Neymar at Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal and managed the Egypt national team during their Paris Olympic campaign in 2024.

The Olympic-winning coach's CV reached the BFF selection committee on Monday.

A four-member committee led by Technical Committee Chairman Kamrul Hasan Hilton, including former footballers Syed Hasan Kanan and Iqbal Hossain, along with Technical Director Saiful Bari Titu, has been formed to screen the applications. The deadline for submitting CVs is April 30.

The committee has already shortlisted 26 candidates, featuring a diverse mix of German, Brazilian, Portuguese, Belgian, and Argentine coaches, with former national player Zulfikar Mahmud Mintu being the only local representative in the running.

The BFF is seeking a coach with a valid Pro Licence, preferably aged between 40 and 60, with experience in Asian football and leading national teams. Beyond the senior team, the selected coach is expected to scout talent from domestic leagues and develop a pool of players, areas where the outgoing coach Javier Cabrera reportedly fell short.