It was the picture of Sifat Jasim on the official Facebook page of Real Madrid that caught our attention. Seeing him handing a Nakshi Katha bearing the flag of RM made us desperate to reach out, as we wanted to know the journey behind the luckiest guy in our eyes.

The boyhood wonders

Talking to us, Sifat reminisced about the picture he saw of Zidane. Sparked by that Zidane image in the papers, he instantly knew what constituted a true legendary player.

“That moment stayed with me,” he recalls. “Later, when I saw that many of the great players I admired were playing for Real Madrid, the club became special to me, and football became more than just a sport.”

His school days were spent playing FIFA relentlessly, and there was no doubt in his mind about which team he wanted to represent. Though in those early years, late-night matches were a dime a dozen, as the regularities of childhood most of the time got in the way of joy.

In college, matches became routine, and as he connected with more like-minded Madridistas, it was evident that only remaining a fan was not enough.

The supporters’ club idea was brewed in 2013 via the “Madridista™” Facebook group. Watching rivals like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea gain official accreditation in Bangladesh fuelled the fire. “Real Madrid, with such a massive fan base here, deserved a similar organised platform,” Sifat explained.

Photo: Courtesy

However, recognition did not come easy, and after persevering for about six years, on Victory Day 2019, the greatest news Jasim could have gotten came. Peña Madridista Bangladesh earned official status.

A rocky path towards fandom

As is often the case, financial hurdles were a major burden for Sifat. His middle-class roots meant he had to compromise, and in matters of spending, he had to pick and choose what was most precious to him.

Photo: Courtesy

Not to mention, the 4 am spectacles often clashed with his 8 am university classes, forcing him to go through countless sleepless nights. “Many days passed with almost no sleep, balancing academics and passion,” Jasim admitted.

However, with all the personal struggles and sacrifices made for the club, the boyhood smile did not fade away for one bit.

One such moment was La Décima, the 2013 Champions League win after a 12-year drought, which shattered him emotionally. “We had not won since I started following seriously. The last one before that was Zidane’s volley. Winning the 10th title after such a long wait felt surreal and deeply emotional. Before 92:48 happened, no one thought we would win.” It offered what nothing else could: belonging, emotional connection, and continuity.

Peña Madridista Bangladesh: A refuge

Sifat’s efforts paid off in the form of official recognition. His club not only changed his life but also contributed to making others’ dreams come true.

To date, Peña Madridista Bangladesh has secured official tickets for over 100 fans to witness live matches, both away and at home in Madrid. However, many more could not make it due to the harsh realities of visa processing and the weak Bangladeshi passport.

“Everything is done voluntarily for the love of the club and the community,” Sifat notes. In Bangladesh, fandom means sacrifice: all-night vigils, scrimped jerseys, defending the club like family. “People grow up with it. The club becomes part of a person’s identity.”

Photo: Courtesy

When asked what defined success to him, he replied that success now means representing Bangladesh’s fervour to Real Madrid, owing to his gift to the president.

“It taught me that I can stay committed to something for a long time without expecting anything in return.”

Dreams still persist for Sifat. Watching a Champions League match live, visiting the Santiago Bernabéu, and watching Real Madrid win a final in person are all north stars Sifat is willing to follow and undertake many more sacrifices for.

Reading this, some may deem people like Sifat Jasim to be a bit on the crazier side, whereas lifelong fans such as ourselves see him as a visionary, a rebel who not only had the vision but also carried out his march forward to realise it.

A trait that is rare, much like the people so dedicated and so passionately in love with this beautiful sport.