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Cuba Mitchell

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Cuba Mitchell
Cuba in action with Bashundhara Kings
Personal information
Full name Cuba Raul Mitchell[1]
Date of birth (2005-11-23) 23 November 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Birmingham, England[2]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[3]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Bashundhara Kings
Number 88
Youth career
–2022 Birmingham City
2022–2025 Sunderland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– Bashundhara Kings 1 (0)
International career‡
2025– Bangladesh U23 2 (0)
2025– Bangladesh 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 October 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 November 2025

Cuba Raul Mitchell (Bengali: কিউবা রাউল মিচেল; born 23 November 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bangladesh Football League club Bashundhara Kings. Born in England, he plays for the Bangladesh national team.

Early life

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Cuba was born on 23 November 2005, in Birmingham, England. He comes from a diverse background, with Jamaican ancestry on his father's side through his great-grandparents and Bangladeshi heritage from mother.[4]

Club career

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Early career

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Having begun his career with Birmingham City, Cuba joined Sunderland on an initial two-year scholarship deal in 2022. While still a regular for Sunderland's Under-18s during the 2022–23 season, Cuba made his debut for the Under-21s. After recovering from injury in 2023, he went on to make 16 appearances for the Under-21 side in the 2023–24 season. On 4 July 2024, he signed his first professional contract with the club.[5] In June 2025, he was named in the released players list by Sunderland.[6]

Bashundhara Kings

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On 28 July 2025, Cuba joined Bangladesh Football League club Bashundhara Kings on a three-year deal.[7][8] On 12 August 2025, he made his professional debut by coming on as a second-half subistitute in a 1–0 victory over Syrian representatives Al-Karamah SC in the 2025–26 AFC Challenge League preliminary stage.[9]

International career

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Cuba is eligible to represent England and Bangladesh at international level.[4]

On 19 April 2025, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) contacted him with an offer to play for the Bangladesh national team, with reports indicating that significant progress had been made in negotiations between the BFF and Cuba. A day earlier, senior football journalist Pete O'Rourke reported that Cuba had already pledged his allegiance to Bangladesh, following a social media post shared by his agents, Dominance Sports Group.[4][10][11] Cuba received his Bangladeshi passport on 1 June,[12] and on 3 June received FIFA approval to switch allegiance to Bangladesh.[13][14]

Cuba was initially called up to the Bangladesh U23 for a training camp held in Bahrain in August 2025. However, he was unable to get clearance from Bashundhara Kings to attend the camp.[15] He eventually represented the team at the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers held in Việt Trì, Vietnam, making appearances against the hosts, Vietnam U23, and Singapore U23, as Bangladesh failed to qualify for the main tournament.[16][17]

On 9 November 2025, due to injuries to vetrans Rahmat Mia and Mohammad Ibrahim, head coach, Javier Cabrera, called up Cuba as a late inclusion to the Bangladesh national team squad ahead of a friendly match against Nepal and a 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round match against India.[18][19] On 13 November, Cuba made his senior international debut by coming on as a 80th minute substitute for Hamza Choudhury in a 2–2 draw against Nepal.[20]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 30 October 2025[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Domestic Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sunderland U21 2022–23 — — — — 0 0
2023–24 — — — — 0 0
2024–25 — — — — 0 0
Total — — — — 0 0
Bashundhara Kings 2025–26 BFL 1 0 0 0 2[a] 0 0 0 3 0
Career total 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 0
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in AFC Challenge League

International

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As of 13 November 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Bangladesh 2025 1 0
Total 1 0

References

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  1. ^ "EFL - Squad List 2024/25" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Cuba Mitchell Sunderland U21 Midfielder, Profile & Stats". premierleague.com. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Cuba Mitchell". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "BFF closing in on Cuba Mitchell for June fixture". The Daily Star. 20 April 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Former Birmingham City midfielder signs one-year deal with Sunderland". The Northern Echo. July 4, 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Sunderland squad contract status and transfer agenda after retained list announcement". Sunderland Echo. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Bashundhara Kings sign Cuba Mitchell from Sunderland U-21". Daily Sun. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  8. ^ "তিন বছরের চুক্তিতে বসুন্ধরা কিংসে কিউবা মিচেল". Desh Rupantor. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Kings stun Al-Karamah to move into AFC Challenge League group stage". The Daily Star. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Cuba Mitchell: Bangladesh's Next Premier League Star?". The Business Standard. April 20, 2025. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Cabrera urges for patience with Sunderland youth player Mitchell". Dhaka Tribune. 28 May 205. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  12. ^ "বাংলাদেশি পাসপোর্ট পাওয়া কে এই কিউবা মিচেল". Prothomalo (in Bengali). June 2, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "ফিফার অনুমতি পেয়েছেন কিউবা মিচেল, কিন্তু..." Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  14. ^ "ফিফার ছাড়পত্র পেলেন কিউবা মিচেল". kalerkantho.com (in Bengali). June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  15. ^ "Cuba's 'not sure yet' when he will join U-23 side in Bahrain". Daily Sun. August 14, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  16. ^ "Under-23s begin Asian Cup Qualifiers with a defeat". The Daily Star. September 3, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  17. ^ "Bangladesh crush Singapore 4-1 to end U-23 qualifiers on a high". Times of Bangladesh. September 9, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  18. ^ "Cuba joins squad, Hamza coming on Monday". The Daily Star. November 9, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  19. ^ "Cuba 'best alternative' despite limited match time". Daily Sun. November 9, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  20. ^ "বাংলাদেশ–নেপাল ম্যাচের শুরু থেকে শেষ: হামজার জোড়া গোলের পর হতাশার ড্র". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  21. ^ "Cuba Mitchell". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
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