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 in Bangladesh football cirlces. 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 (age 27)
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	100	(0)
International career‡
2015	Bangladesh U19	6	(0)
2017–2019	Bangladesh U23	6	(0)
2020–	Bangladesh	30	(0)
Medal record Representing  Bangladesh South Asian Games 2019 Kathmandu
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 January 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals 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 a crucial role for his team, including three penalty saves which helped Kings win 5–1 against TC Sports Club.^[8] He was later named 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 Goalkeeper Award in the 2023 SAFF Championship, even after Bangladesh crashed out of the semi-finals of the tournament.^[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 May 2024.^[17]

Club	Season	League			Domestic[a]		Other		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Farashganj SC	2014	Bangladesh Championship League	11	0	—		—		—		11	0
Muktijoddha Sangsad	2015	Bangladesh Premier League	3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
Chittagong Abahani	2016	Bangladesh Premier League	1	0	0	0	0[b]	0	—		1	0
Saif SC	2017–18	Bangladesh Premier League	9	0	2	0	2[b]	0	—		13	0
Bashundhara Kings	2018–19	Bangladesh Premier League	22	0	6	0	4[b]	0	—		32	0
	2019–20		6	0	5	0	3[c]	0	1[d]	0	15	0
	2020–21		21	0	5	0	—		3[d]	0	29	0
	2021–22		21	0	0	0	5[b]	0	3[d]	0	29	0
	2022–23		17	0	2	0	6	0	0	0	25	0
	2023-24		10	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	12	0
	Bashundhara Kings total		97	0	18	0	18	0	9	0	143	0
Career total			121	0	20	0	20	0	9	0	170	0

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 team	Year	Apps	Goals
Bangladesh	2020	2	0
	2021	12	0
	2022	8	0
	2023	9	0
Total		31	0

Honours

Bashundhara Kings

• Bangladesh Premier League: 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
• Bangladesh Federation Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21
• Independence Cup: 2018–19, 2022–23, 2023–24

Individual

• 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 − BPL Goalkeeper of the Season.
• 2023 – SAFF Championship Best Goalkeeper Award.