The Uzbekistan national team has opened a new chapter in football history. Our players, who defend the honor of our country, have fulfilled long-standing dreams and have qualified to participate in the World Cup for the first time. This historic event was recorded during the decisive match against the United Arab Emirates in the qualifying round of the World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
A draw was enough for our national team in this game. However, the hosts had only one goal – to win. Therefore, the UAE national team made serious changes before this match. In particular, the management of the national team was handed over to Romanian specialist Cosmin Olariu. Additionally, five high-level players from Brazil were added to the team. This was seen as an attempt to give our opponent an additional advantage before the game.
The match, which lasted more than ninety minutes, was very intense and nerve-wracking. The hosts created several dangerous situations, but the well-thought-out tactics of Uzbekistan's coach Timur Kapadze and the fighting spirit of the players ensured the desired result. Especially, the team's goalkeeper O'tkir Yusupov made several excellent saves, greatly contributing to maintaining the draw for the team. He was rightly recognized as the best player of the match.
Naturally, this victory has become a huge celebration for our country. This tremendous success of our national team is causing a great stir not only in Uzbekistan but also on the international stage. Football fans, prestigious clubs, and experts around the world are paying attention to this news. In particular, the European clubs of the players who are leaders of our team are also not indifferent to this event.
The famous Italian club "Roma" congratulated the captain and forward of our national team, Eldor Shomurodov, and published the following statement on its official website and social media pages:
“We sincerely congratulate Eldor Shomurodov on this historic achievement! He has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in the history of our country’s football, and we are proud of his success.”
Eldor Shomurodov indeed played a crucial role in decisive matches for the national team. He scored goals against Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hong Kong during the qualifying stages, bringing important points to the team. In the qualifying matches, he scored a total of 4 goals and provided 4 assists, directly influencing a total of 8 goals. Eldor Shomurodov is considered the top scorer of the Uzbekistan national team – he has scored 41 goals in 81 matches wearing the national team jersey.
At the same time, another leading player of our national team, midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullayev from Russia's CSKA club, also received warm congratulations from his club. The Moscow club congratulated our young player through its official channel with the following words:
“We sincerely congratulate Abbosbek Fayzullayev and the Uzbekistan national team on this historic achievement! Abbos and his team have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their history, bringing joy to all of us!”
Although Abbosbek Fayzullayev was called up to the national team for the first time in 2023, he quickly became one of the key players. During the qualifying stage, he scored twice against Qatar and once against North Korea and Iran, and managed to provide two assists. He has played in a total of 26 matches for the national team, scoring 8 goals.
Currently, Uzbekistan football fans are enjoying the thrill of this historic achievement. Now they are looking forward to the World Cup hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico with great hopes for our national team. This participation of the Uzbekistan team on the international stage will mark the beginning of a new era for our country's football. For both fans and players, this is just the beginning, and many more great victories await on the road ahead.
For now, our national team is celebrating this great victory, and football enthusiasts in our country are in a festive mood with them!
