Anisur Rahman Zico

Anisur Rahman Zico (Bengali: আনিসুর রহমান জিকো) is a Bangladeshi professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bangladesh Premier League club Bashundhara Kings and the Bangladesh national team.[2][3][4] He is considered to be a penalty specialist and is also one of the best goalkeepers in the country. He is nicknamed "Banglar Bajpakhi" (Bengali: বাংলার বাজপাখি) which translates to "The Hawk/Falcon of Bangla" in English.[5][6]

Anisur Rahman Zico
Zico holding Best Local Player award of Bangladesh Premier League 2021
Personal information
Full name Anisur Rahman Zico
Date of birth (1997-08-10) 10 August 1997
Place of birth Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Bashundhara Kings
Number 1
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Farashganj SC 11 (0)
2015 Muktijoddha Sangsad 3 (0)
2016 Chittagong Abahani 1 (0)
2017–18 Saif Sporting Club 9 (0)
2018– Bashundhara Kings 87 (0)
International career‡
2015 Bangladesh U19 6 (0)
2017–2019 Bangladesh U23 6 (0)
2020– Bangladesh 31 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 September 2023

Club career

On 14 December 2018, Zico's performance in the shootout in Walton Independence Cup helped Bashundhara Kings edge a spirited Rahmatganj MFS 3–2 in the quarter-final tiebreaker.[7] On 20 December 2018, Zico's performance propelled Kings to the Independence Cup final with a 7–6 win on penalties over Abahani Limited Dhaka. He also got limelight in the 2020 AFC Cup where he played crucial role for his team, including three penalty saves which helped Kings win 5–1 against TC Sports Club.[8] He was later named in the AFC Top Performer of the Week.[9]

International career

On 13 November 2020, Zico made his senior debut against Nepal in an international friendly.[10][11][12]

On 4 December 2020, Zico performed well against reigning Asian champions Qatar in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round.[13] His "heroic" performance gained him popularity among the local fans and also got him offers from MLS and Saudi Pro League clubs.[14][15]

He received the Best Goakeeper Award in the 2023 SAFF Championship, even after Bangladesh crashed out of the semi-finals of the tournament.[16]

Career statistics

Club
As of 22 June 2023.[17]
Club Season League Domestic[lower-alpha 1] Other Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals Apps GoalsAppsGoals
Farashganj SC 2014 Bangladesh Championship League 110———110
Muktijoddha Sangsad 2015 Bangladesh Premier League 3000——30
Chittagong Abahani 2016 Bangladesh Premier League 10000[lower-alpha 2]0—10
Saif SC 2017–18 Bangladesh Premier League 90202[lower-alpha 2]0—130
Bashundhara Kings 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League 220604[lower-alpha 2] 0—320
2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League 60503[lower-alpha 3]01[lower-alpha 4]0150
2020–21 Bangladesh Premier League 21050—3[lower-alpha 4]0290
2021–22 Bangladesh Premier League 210005[lower-alpha 2]03[lower-alpha 4]0290
2022–23 Bangladesh Premier League 150206000230
Bashundhara Kings total 850180180701280
Career total 1090200200401560
  1. Appearance in the Federation Cup
  2. Independence Cup
  3. Appearance in the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup
  4. Appearance in the AFC Cup

International
As of 7 September 2023.[18]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bangladesh 202020
2021120
202280
202390
Total310

Honours

Bashundhara Kings

Individual

  • 2020–21 − BPL Goalkeeper of the Season.
  • 2023 – SAFF Championship Best Goalkeeper Award.
  • 2020 – AFC Top Performer of the Week.
  • 2021 − Sports Journalist Community Best Player Award.

References
  1. জিকো নামের এক গোলকিপার. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 23 December 2018. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. sun, daily. "Want to be Asia's best: Zico | Daily Sun |". daily sun. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  3. "Goalkeeper's role very important: Zico". businesspostbd.com. Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  4. "Rahman Anisur Zico Bashundhara Kings videos, transfer history and stats - SofaScore". www.sofascore.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-14. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  5. "বাংলার বাজপাখি জিকো - Bhorer Kagoj". www.bhorerkagoj.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  6. নিউজ, সময়. "মেজর লিগ সকার থেকেও ডাক পেয়েছিলেন বাংলার 'বাজপাখি' জিকো! | খেলা". Somoy News (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  7. "Kings survive R'ganj scare". The Daily Star. 15 December 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  8. "Heroic Zico propels Kings to final". The Daily Star. 21 December 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  9. "Kings' goalie Zico named AFC top performer | Daily Sun |". Archived from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  10. "FIFA International Series: Bangladesh off to a flying start with 2-0 win over Nepal". UNB. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  11. "Mujib Barsho friendly series: Bangladesh vs Nepal". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  12. "New goalkeeper, striker for first friendly?". Dhaka Tribune. 2020-11-12. Archived from the original on 2020-11-14. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  13. "জিকো ভাবতেই পারেননি কাতারের বিপক্ষে খেলবেন!". banglatribune.com. 5 December 2020.
  14. নিউজ, সময়. "মেজর লিগ সকার থেকেও ডাক পেয়েছিলেন বাংলার 'বাজপাখি' জিকো! | খেলা". Somoy News. Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  15. "Qatar crush Bangladesh despite Zico heroics". The Business Standard. December 5, 2020. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  16. ডেস্ক, স্পোর্টস (July 4, 2023). "সাফের সেরা গোলরক্ষক জিকো". The Daily Star Bangla. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  17. "Bangladesh - A. Rahman - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-14. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  18. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Anisur Rahman". www.national-football-teams.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
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