“I was always passionate about football from a young age. I would say from 6 or 7 years old”, recalled Rahbar. When he first fell in love with the beautiful game, he had no idea that his passion would one day see him representing the red and green of Bangladesh on the global stage. Rahbar Khan also known as Sharan is a professional football player and entrepreneur who plays for the Bangladesh National Team and we got the opportunity to sit and talk with him. From how he made the transition from the fields of Dohs to Bangabandhu National Stadium and what inspired him to start Next Level Sports Management, read along as we uncover his story.
His journey through the years
“My father moved our family to Banani Old Dohs in 2002, I was fortunate enough to be able to play on one of the best fields in Dhaka”, explained Rahbar. The Dohs field has long been a breeding ground for the most talented and skilled underground football players of Dhaka. It is also where the best players from across the city come to put their ball playing prowess to the test. So, from a very young age, Rahbar got to learn from the most elite. “All the talented players convened in the field on a regular basis. I got introduced to everyone and started playing underground football at 11 years old,” he added. To think that an 11 year old was playing with the best let alone keeping up with them is testament to what a special athlete Rahbar was right from the get-go. He not only wanted to be the best version of himself but he always had his eyes set on putting his skills to the test at the highest level. “I always wanted to play professionally. I did not know when or how I would do that, but I always trained and stayed in shape so that I could be the best version of myself – be it on the street, on the basketball court, or on the football field. I have a hunger for winning and improving my craft, which led me to play at a collegiate level and, eventually, at a semi-professional level in League 1 Ontario. That is when I got recruited for the Bangladesh National Team,” he added.
Now being a professional is in a league of its own and Rahbar gave us an insight on the differences. “Underground football is amateur football where everyone is only playing games. Professional football is a bigger commitment – you have training, games and always need to take care of your body. I would say the key difference is the tempo of the game. Then there is the most difficult part where you don’t have much time for friends and family,” he elaborated. But as difficult and grueling this road is, the feeling of getting to do what you love for your country is absolutely unmatched. “It is the best feeling in the world. There are millions of people in our country and only 23 are selected to play for a tournament. It is a huge honor and the achievement of a lifetime. It felt even better knowing that both of my parents got to watch this special moment of my life. If you ask how I felt before the game, I can say that as soon as the national anthem begins, it’s all goosebumps. That is when you realize it is not a dream anymore – you are living it,” he added.
Aside from the national team, Rahbar has also played Canadian League One Ontario for the Toronto Nitros. In 2022, he signed for BPL team Sheikh Jamal DC and featured in all matches of the Independence Cup which had a mixture of local and foreign players. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him out of the league and he is currently undergoing recovery. “Currently, I am working on my knee recovery process. It is taking longer than expected. I plan to come back once the recovery process & other paperworks are done,” he concluded.
Life outside of football
Although his injury is keeping him out of action on the pitch, off the pitch, Rahbar has been keeping himself busy with multiple projects as he awaits his return. He is currently working on building a new language learning platform called Bhasha. In addition to that, he started Next Level Sports Management, a non-profit sports consulting agency that specializes in helping aspiring athletes to unlock their full potential, with his brother. Rahbar wants to pass on his learnings to young footballers looking to take their game to the next level. “ The idea of NLSM was to transfer everything that my brother and I have learned and practiced abroad, and instill those experiences to the new generation. We want to streamline the pathway from school to universities with scholarships. In addition to that, we also want to educate parents about the collegiate pathway program and the opportunities that are out there for our youth. We are also focused on developing a women’s team,” he explained.
NLSM helps athletes learn about their strengths and weaknesses through well structured training sessions that will help them become the best versions of themselves. Composed of certified professionals, the team dedicates its time to help build not just amazing athletes but also individuals with strong characters. “The founders of NLSM have lived through the transitions that come with playing sports professionally so our guidance will help athletes grow faster,” Rahbar explained. They have 10 employees on their payroll and the operation is financed through subscription fees and personal finances. “We actually have high expenses every month but this is a passion project and our ultimate goal is to shape our next generation in the right way and you can’t put a price on that”, he added in his closing remarks. NLSM aspires to eventually open training academies all over Bangladesh and also expand to other sports such as basketball, volleyball and golf.
Follow Rahbar and NLSM on social media
Rahbar
Ig: @sharan_10
NLSM
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/nlsm.bd
Ig: nlsm.bd
Website: https://nlsmbd.com/
