Hamza Choudhury
Who was Hamza Choudhury?
English midfielder who plays for Leicester City and has represented England at international level.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Hamza Choudhury (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Hamza Dewan Choudhury was born on October 1, 1997, in Loughborough, England. He went to Bushloe High School as a child. With Bangladeshi roots, Choudhury grew up in the East Midlands and was spotted as a talented young footballer early on, joining the Leicester City Academy at the age of seven. He grew through the club's youth ranks, paving the way for a professional career that has kept him tied to Leicester City throughout his football life.
Choudhury mainly plays as a defensive midfielder, but has also filled in at right-back when needed. He made his senior debut for Leicester City in 2017 and has since played over 100 matches for the club in various competitions. His knack for breaking up plays and his physical presence in midfield made him a dependable team member during Leicester's time in the Premier League. To gain regular first-team play, he had two loan stints at Burton Albion, which helped sharpen his skills before he secured a place in Leicester's senior team.
A key moment in Choudhury's club career came in 2021 when Leicester City won the FA Cup, beating Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. It was the club's first ever FA Cup win, and Choudhury was part of the team that achieved this historic victory. After Leicester was relegated from the Premier League, the club started playing in the EFL Championship, where Choudhury remains a team member.
Internationally, Choudhury played for England at the under-21 level, earning caps for the Young Lions before his senior international career took a different path. After receiving his Bangladeshi passport in late 2024, he decided to switch his international allegiance to Bangladesh, making him eligible to play for the South Asian nation's senior national team. This move was notable given his profile as a player with professional experience in English football, and it opened up the possibility of him having a significant impact on Bangladeshi football globally.
Before Fame
Growing up in Loughborough, a town in Leicestershire known for its strong sports culture and home to Loughborough University, one of the UK’s top sports education institutions, Hamza Choudhury was surrounded by a competitive athletic scene from a young age. He went to Bushloe High School in Wigston, Leicestershire, while also moving up through the Leicester City Academy, which he joined at seven.
His journey to professional football followed the usual academy path, with years of coaching and development at Leicester City leading to his loan moves to Burton Albion in the English Football League. These loan periods gave him the regular playing time that academy players need to move from promising youngster to reliable professional, and after returning to Leicester, he established himself as a first-team member who could play in several positions.
Key Achievements
- Won the FA Cup with Leicester City in 2021, the club's first ever FA Cup title
- Made over 100 senior appearances for Leicester City since his debut in 2017
- Represented England at under-21 international level
- Switched international allegiance to Bangladesh in 2024, becoming one of the highest-profile players to represent the national team
- Completed two professional loan spells at Burton Albion, gaining EFL experience before cementing his place in Leicester's first team
Did You Know?
- 01.Choudhury joined the Leicester City Academy at the age of seven, meaning he spent approximately two decades affiliated with the club before becoming a regular first-team player.
- 02.He was part of the Leicester City squad that won the 2021 FA Cup, the first and only FA Cup title in the club's entire history.
- 03.Despite representing England at under-21 level, Choudhury switched his senior international allegiance to Bangladesh after receiving his Bangladeshi passport in late 2024.
- 04.Choudhury can play both as a defensive midfielder and as a right-back, giving managers tactical flexibility in how they deploy him.
- 05.He attended Bushloe High School in Wigston, a secondary school located just a few miles from Leicester City's training facilities.