Twin brothers Ronan and Declan Sullivan, raised in Philadelphia, have become key figures in Bangladesh's footballing revival after helping the national Under-20 side win the South Asian Football Federation Championship, with Ronan converting the decisive penalty in a shootout final against India in April. The pair, who qualified through their maternal ancestry and had never previously visited Bangladesh, are part of a broader push to draw on the country's vast diaspora to strengthen a national team ranked 181st by FIFA, a move that could reshape the football fortunes of a nation of nearly 180 million people.

The brothers connected with Bangladeshi football via an Instagram fan page called "Save Bangladesh Football" less than two years before their title win, and their success in Malé, Maldives has since drawn interest from other overseas-based players, including some from English academies. Former USMNT captain Thomas Dooley was appointed head coach of Bangladesh's senior side seven weeks after the Under-20 triumph, tasked with turning a football-mad fanbase into a footballing nation. The Sullivans' brothers, Quinn and Cavan, play for Philadelphia Union in MLS, with Quinn already cap-tied to the USA and Cavan bound for Manchester City.