Reasat chases a new dream in German football

More than a decade after first attracting attention in Bangladesh as a Germany-based footballer with ambitions of wearing the national colours, Reasat Islam Khaton is chasing a different dream.

The former Bangladesh-born professional footballer, whose playing career carried him across Germany, Wales, the Philippines and South America, has swapped boots for the touchline after an injury-plagued career came to a premature end. Now, at 37, he is steadily climbing the coaching ladder in Germany, nurturing a fresh ambition that stretches far beyond club football.

"My biggest dream is to one day become the head coach of the Bangladesh national team," Reasat told The Daily Observer in an exclusive interview.

"However, I believe there is nothing greater for a footballer or a coach than representing their own country."

Those words reveal a dream that has endured despite changing shape. Once he sought to represent Bangladesh on the field; today, he hopes to serve the country from the technical area.

Football has seldom offered Reasat an easy ride. Born in Dhaka in 1989 before moving to Germany, he developed through the German football system, including a spell with SC Freiburg's Under-17 side, before embarking on a career that took him through several German clubs, Welsh side Llanelli Town AFC and Philippine outfit Pachanga Diliman.

In 2022, he added another remarkable chapter to his journey by becoming the first Bangladesh-born footballer to play professional football in Venezuela, signing for Deportivo Rayo Zuliano in the country's second-tier league.

Yet, behind the passport stamps and changing dressing rooms lay an unforgiving battle with injuries.

He said, "I've had a lot of problems with injuries throughout my entire career."

"I actually wanted to keep playing for another one or two years, but my body just couldn't handle it anymore," he added. 

Retirement in 2023 did not signal the end of his relationship with football. Instead, it marked the beginning of another.

Rather than walking away from the game that had shaped his life, Reasat chose to remain on the touchline, determined to translate years of playing experience into a new career in coaching.

His coaching journey began on 1 January in 2024, when he joined Germany's SSV Sand as assistant coach of the first team, remaining there until June that year. The following month, he moved to KSV Hessen Kassel, where he served as assistant coach of the club's Under-21 side until June 2025.

Since July 2025, Reasat has taken on dual responsibilities at FSV Wolfhagen, working as assistant coach of the first team while simultaneously serving as the Sporting Director of the club's academy.

Each appointment has brought greater responsibility, reflecting a steady rise through the coaching ranks rather than a sudden leap.

Alongside his practical experience, Reasat has continued to invest in his coaching education. He currently holds a UEFA B Licence and has already set his sights on obtaining the UEFA A Licence, another step towards managing at the highest level.

"My goal over the next few years is clearly to coach in Germany or in another European country at a higher level," he said.

"Of course, it would be a dream to one day manage a team in the Bundesliga or another top European league."

Yet, even those lofty ambitions do not eclipse another aspiration that remains close to his heart.

His relationship with Bangladesh football has been one of promise mixed with frustration. Reasat first entered the national conversation in 2013 after earning a call-up to the Bangladesh national team's training camp while playing in Germany. Two years later, he was included in the national squad, but he never managed to establish himself in the team.

Reasat said he had hoped to establish himself in the Bangladesh national team but felt he did not receive enough support during that period. However, he said he harbours no bitterness over the experience and hopes to bring the experience he is gaining in Germany back to Bangladesh and play a part in the game's development.

Years inside German football have also shaped his vision for the future of the sport in his homeland.

Rather than searching for quick fixes, he believes Bangladesh must build success from the ground up.

"For example, I believe grassroots football needs a completely new structure," he said.

He also called for stronger partnerships with European clubs and leading football nations in Asia to expose young Bangladeshi players to more competitive environments.

"In my opinion, Bangladesh also needs partnerships with European clubs or with the top football nations in Asia, where young players can develop in a more competitive environment, just as many talented young African players do today," he explained.

"At the moment, the domestic league in Bangladesh is simply not strong enough to produce players who can compete at the highest level."

While the recent emergence of expatriate footballers has strengthened Bangladesh's national teams, Reasat believes sustainable progress lies elsewhere.

"Relying only on expatriate players is not a sustainable solution," he said.

"If you want long-term success, you have to invest in developing local talent and create a clear pathway for young players."

His words reflect not criticism, but conviction, the perspective of someone who has experienced different football cultures and believes Bangladesh can narrow the gap through patience, planning and investment.

The dream that first brought Reasat into the spotlight more than a decade ago has never faded. It has simply evolved.
Today, he no longer dreams of wearing the Bangladesh jersey. Instead, he dreams of standing on the touchline, guiding the nation's footballers with the knowledge he continues to gather in Germany.

"There is nothing greater for a footballer or a coach than representing their own country," he said. "That's why my biggest dream is to one day become the head coach of the Bangladesh national team."