With machine guns in hand and a football at their feet, they were unlike any team the world had ever seen! The deafening roar of the crowd echoed through the packed Krishnanagar Stadium. The day, marked 25th July, 1971, is etched in history. On one side, the Nadia District XI, while on the other, a team unlike any the world had seen, the Shadhin Bangla Football Team, composed of guerrilla fighters battling for Bangladesh’s liberation.

Leading them was Zakaria Pintoo, the leader of the Shadhin Bangla Football Team, a man who symbolised the unbreakable spirit of a nation yet to be born. Pintoo, the world’s first guerrilla football captain, passed away on Monday in Dhaka at the age of 81. 

During the match, spectators poured in from across the border, from Meherpur and Kushtia, to witness this extraordinary match. Chants of "Joy Bangla" and "Joy Hind" filled the air, their passion blurring the lines between football and freedom. The players, who carried guns during the day, fought relentlessly for their flag and country, wielded footballs, their every move a defiant act against oppression.

The Shadhin Bangla Football Team played not for medals or accolades but to rally support for their nation’s freedom. Their matches weren’t recorded by FIFA, and even the Bangladeshi government later hesitated to recognize them officially. Yet, their story lived on in the hearts of those who witnessed it.

The day in Krishnanagar wasn’t just about a game. It was about resistance, unity, and a nation fighting to find its voice. The ball rolled, the crowd cheered, and history was made—not in records, but in the memory of a people who refused to surrender.

While his exceptional performance in the Bangladesh National team played a crucial role in the Bangladesh National Football team being remembered fondly, the leadership of the Shadhin Bangla Football Team has made him immortal.