Tariq Raihan Kazi (Bengali: তারিক কাজী; born 6 October 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender. Born in Finland, he plays for Paro and Bangladesh national team.[2][1]
 Tariq with Bangladesh in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tariq Raihan Kazi | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Tampere, Finland[1] | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Paro | ||
| Number | 40 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2017 | Ilves | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2019 | Ilves | 15 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → HJS (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Ilves II | 12 | (0) |
| 2020–2025 | Bashundhara Kings | 61 | (0) |
| 2026– | Paro | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016 | Finland U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2017 | Finland U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2017–18 | Finland U18 | 4 | (0) |
| 2018 | Finland U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021– | Bangladesh | 37 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 June 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 June 2026 | |||
During his youth career he was primarily used as a right wing-back, who could also be deployed as a right back, later on he was transitioned into a center back by coach Óscar Bruzón.
Kazi is the second non-resident Bangladeshi footballer to represent Bangladesh internationally after Danish-born Jamal Bhuyan. He represented Finland at U17 and U19 levels internationally, before switching national sides. He also made an appearance in the UEFA Europa League for Ilves.[3]
Club career
editIlves
editKazi began his career with Ilves, making his Veikkausliiga debut for the club in June 2018 as a substitute in a 3–1 loss to KuPS. On 19 July 2018, Kazi became the first ever Bangladeshi footballer to play in a Europa League match. He came on as a substitute in the 76th minute for Jani Tanska, as Ilves defeated Bulgarian club PFC Slavia Sofia 2–1.[4]
Tariq spent the 2018–19 season on loan at Finnish club HJS Akatemia who played in the Kakkonen, which was the third level in the league system of Finnish football. During the season Tariq managed to make 8 appearances for the club.
Bashundhara Kings
editIn November 2019, Kazi joined Bangladesh Premier League side Bashundhara Kings on a three-year deal.[5][6][7]
On 17 October 2025, Kazi announced that he had terminated his contract with Bashundhara Kings due to outstanding salary payments.[8]
Paro
editIn April 2026, Kazi joined Bhutanese champions Paro ahead of the Bhutan Premier League season.[9]
International career
editHaving represented Finland at youth international level, in November 2020, Kazi was called up to the Bangladesh squad for their friendlies against Nepal but had to withdraw from the squad due to injury.[10]
On 3 June 2021, Kazi made his senior international debut for Bangladesh against Afghanistan in the country's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier, playing full 90 minutes.[11]
Kazi scored his first international goal on 25 March 2023 against Seychelles in a friendly at the Sylhet District Stadium.
Personal life
editKazi was born to a Finnish mother and a Bangladeshi father in Tampere. Kazi, who has represented Finland in the U17, U18, U19 national team, also has a Bangladeshi passport due to his family roots. His father Sahidul Kazi is a teacher of Tampare University of applied science. Kazi is the grandson of a freedom fighter and school teacher of Naogaon, Abdul Jabber Kazi, who was martyred in the battlefield of 1971 liberation war. He is one of four siblings, with a brother and two sisters.[12]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 8 May 2024.[13]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ilves | 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 12 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| HJS (loan) | 2018 | Kakkonen | 8 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Ilves II | 2019 | Kakkonen | 12 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| Bashundhara Kings | 2019–20 | Bangladesh Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020–21 | Bangladesh Premier League | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Bangladesh Premier League | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Bangladesh Premier League | 14 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Bangladesh Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 89 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 98 | 0 | ||
- ↑ Includes Finnish Cup
- ↑ Appearance in UEFA Europa League qualifying round
- 1 2 Appearances in AFC Cup
- ↑ Appearance(s) in Bangladesh Federation Cup
International
edit- As of 13 November 2025.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 2021 | 9 | 0 |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 37 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list Bangladesh's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 25 March 2023 | Sylhet District Stadium, Sylhet, Bangladesh |  Seychelles | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 25 June 2023 | Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore, India |  Maldives | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2023 SAFF Championship |
Honours
editIlves
Bashundhara Kings
- Bangladesh Football League: 2021, 2022, 2023–24
- Federation Cup: 2020
- Independence Cup: 2022, 2023; runner-up: 2021
References
edit- 1 2 "Tariq Kazi". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ↑ Hadi, Adnan; AA. "Finnish-born Tariq Kazi named in Bangladesh preliminary camp". The Asian Age. Bangladesh. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ↑ তারিক কাজী বাংলাদেশ ফুটবলের নতুন হারকিউলিস. savebangladeshfootball.com (in Bengali). Daily Save Bangladesh Football. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ↑ "Slavia Sofia-Ilves". UEFA.
- ↑ "I can keep my fitness up, says Tariq from Finland". Dhaka Tribune. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ "Kings rope in Tariq Kazi". Daily Sun. 14 November 2019.
- ↑ "Football fraternity welcomes Kingsley & co". New Age.
- ↑ "Tariq Kazi – Official Statement". Facebook. Tariq Kazi. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ↑ "Tariq Kazi joins Bhutan champions Paro FC". The Daily Star. The Daily Star. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
- ↑ "Kazi ruled out of Nepal friendlies". Dhaka Tribune. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ গোলশূন্য প্রথমার্ধে চমক তারিক কাজী. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ↑ ফিনল্যান্ড থেকে পিতৃভূমিতে স্বপ্নমাখা তারিক. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali).
- ↑ Tariq Kazi at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
External links
edit- Profile at the Football Association of Finland
- Tariq Kazi at National-Football-Teams.com