SPORTS REPORTER

“Mamunul Islam has been the best midfielder of his generation, but did not get the stardom due to the lack of international success for the nation,” -- that was how former star striker Alfaz Ahmed summed up the career of former Bangladesh captain Mamunul Islam.

The 40-year-old midfielder is set to bring the curtain down on a long, 30-year playing career when he takes the field for Fortis FC against Rahmatganj MFS in a Bangladesh Football League (BFL) match at the Bashundhara Kings Arena today.

Perhaps Alfaz’s words perfectly capture Mamunul’s journey -- one that could be described as a tale of unfinished business, particularly on the international stage.

“I don’t know how much I could contribute to the nation, but there was no shortage of effort when I represented Bangladesh on the international stage,” an emotional Mamunul said at his retirement announcement briefing at Fortis FC in Madani Avenue yesterday.

Although he never won silverware in the red and green, Mamunul will be remembered by fans for his distinctive presence in midfield -- his long hair, precise left-footed passes, dangerous set-pieces, and swift transitions that often unsettled opposition defences.

Mamunul spoke candidly about two lingering regrets -- not winning the SAFF Championship and failing to get playing time during his stint with Indian Super League side Atletico de Kolkata.

Yet, what resonated most in his words was the absence of a proper farewell in national colours -- a moment he never quite got.

“I didn’t expect such honour from my club Fortis FC during my retirement because I did not receive the recognition I deserved from the national team despite representing the country for 15 years. It is difficult to explain the emotions a player goes through at this stage,” he said.

For Mamunul, his final appearance for Bangladesh came quietly -- as a substitute against Burundi in 2020, without the closure he had hoped for.

A former BKSP student, he represented several top domestic sides, including Abahani, Mohammedan SC, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Sheikh Russel KC, Muktijoddha Sangsad and Chittagong Abahani, before spending his final four years at Fortis FC.

In his own words, Mamunul achieved “name, fame, money, trophies and individual accolades” in his career -- yet none of it, he admitted, compares to the unfulfilled dream of winning something for the country.

As he prepares for one last appearance, Mamunul remains uncertain about life after retirement, though he has expressed interest in continuing with Fortis FC in some capacity if given the opportunity.

But beyond the future, it is the past that seems to linger -- the absence of a defining international triumph, an opportunity abroad that never truly came, and a farewell that never materialised.

And so, as he walks off the pitch for the final time, Mamunul’s career may be remembered not just for its longevity and achievements, but for the lingering sense of what might have been.