Shahed, a midfielder of Emarat High School of Dakhshinkhan who was adjudged the player of the tournament, is now a member of Abahani's training camp for the coming National Football League.

While Rubel, the Residential Model School striker who was the top scorer of the tournament with an unparalleled 21 goals, wins the Brothers hearts.

Their joining in the country's top clubs is certainly a boost for other budding talents across the country to try their skills and fulfil their dreams of attiring the famous shirts like the Sky Blues, Black and Whites, Orange or all Reds.

The good news is that the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has found a financial partner in spreading the game in a systematic way across the country after a successful tournament involving Dhaka schools early this year.

The BFF on Saturday announced that they would host the first-ever National School Football Championship in February next year. Not only that, Aktivision, the new development partner of BFF, has agreed to provide the funds for the national championship for the next three years.

The lucrative deal amounting more than Taka one crore was arranged by BFF's marketing agent Leisure Sports Management (LSM).

"Aktivision will provide Tk 35 lakh for the first edition. They will increase the amount by 15 per cent each year," told BFF general secretary Anwarul Hoque Helal at a press briefing yesterday.

"Initially, we will hold the qualifiers in 16 zones with 130 schools participating. The champions and runners-up of each district from the inter-district school championship organised by the Sports Ministry and the two teams from Dhaka Metropolis will play in the qualifiers," informed Helal.

"The 16 zonal winners will play in the final round. We will try to hold it outside Dhaka to attract more spectators," the BFF general secretary added.

While a cash-starved BFF considered the new deal as a step towards rejuvenating football at the gross-root level, Aktivision has decided to portray Shahed and Rubel as their ambassadors to promote the game as well as attract sponsors.

"We want to focus those two players to inspire the kids in the whole country. Their exposure will encourage others," said Shakib Lohani who also said his organisation would take responsibility to create hype and gather huge crowd in the stadiums.

"A number of corporate houses have already showed interest to sponsor the event and we are confident we will have the best one to promote school football in the country," he added.

Aktivision is no doubt innovative in their endeavour and it created unbridled sense of joy among Shahed and Rubel, who know little about what present day ad techniques are all about.

"We don't know what we will have to do. But we are excited to learn that we will be travelling," said the youngsters.

But they were more interested to talk about their experience in camps of Abahani and Brothers.

"The senior players have been encouraging me and I have been treated as a full member during training. I know it is difficult for a young boy like me to make a place in the first team but I am learning fast. I am confident that I would earn my place," told Shahed, who now eyes to wear the famous sky-blue shirt even in his teens.

"I am attending camp from my home but it is great to train with so many great players," said Rubel, who is now in the camp of Brothers Union.