Kamoliddin Murzoev: "Uzbek football will benefit from the Shomurodov–Fayzullaev tandem"

In the last five years, Eldor Shomurodov has become not only the leader of the Uzbekistan national team, but also a well-known forward in European football.

Now our compatriot will play for "Istanbul Basaksehir". Soon, Abbos Fayzullaev is also expected to join him. We approached expert and former top scorer Kamoliddin Murzoev for his opinion.

— How would you evaluate Eldor Shomurodov's career in Italy?
— I think Eldor's 4.5 years in Italy were successful. Because, exactly at a time when Uzbek football was developing, he was the first to go to one of the top-5 leagues and played for several seasons in high-level teams. Playing and proving yourself in such a league is not easy. From this perspective, saying that Eldor found his place in Italy would not be an exaggeration.

— What do you think about Shomurodov's transfer to Turkey? Would it have been better for him to stay in Italy, or is the opportunity to become a leader in Istanbul more important?
— This transfer should be looked at not just from a personal point of view, but also from the scale of the whole championship. In my opinion, the club's ambitions played a decisive role here. In recent years, Turkish teams have achieved significant success both in European competitions and in their own leagues. From this aspect, I believe this is the right choice for Eldor. Moving from a team with small goals to a club with big plans and showing his potential there — it is a happy situation.

— Eldor is 30 years old. Does his age, potential and ability still allow him to return to a top-5 league?
— In modern football, age 30 does not mean much. The main thing is professionalism and physical condition. Eldor has all of that. I think he could still play in a top-5 league now. The upcoming World Cup will be a great motivation for him.

— Fayzullaev is also close to moving to a Turkish club. What can be expected from the Fayzullaev–Shomurodov tandem?
— If Uzbek players move to strong clubs together, it is beneficial for the national team as well. The team atmosphere, mutual understanding among players increases. If Shomurodov and Fayzullaev play together, Uzbek football will only gain. Their successful performances will increase the demand for other Uzbek players too.

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