Today, the attention of the football world is focused on the draw for the 2026 World Cup. The Uzbekistan national team, participating in this unparalleled competition for the first time, is stirring the hearts of fans. In this regard, Sports.uz organized a short but meaningful conversation with the well-known commentator Otabek Juraev.
According to Otabek Juraev, it is practically impossible to say for sure which opponents will face in the group stage right now. Because there are 12 teams in each basket, and the probability of finding the right combination is very low. Nevertheless, he also shared his dream group.
He emphasized that if a relatively weak team falls out of the fourth basket, it will create great convenience for our team. Playing against an opponent like Curaçao in the early stages would be a very reliable start. It's advisable for a mid-level team with stable performance to come out of the second basket. From the first basket, he added with envy the opposite - a match against a very strong opponent, for example, Argentina. According to him, facing the reigning world champion in the final round will be an invaluable experience for our players and a great celebration for the fans. Because by this stage, the opposing team has already secured their exit from the group.
During the conversation, the commentator also touched upon the possibility of Uzbekistan's exit from the group. He confidently stated, "In sha Allah, we will advance from the group," and noted that we could advance to the playoffs with an approximate third place. The result of the next stage directly depends on the level of the opponent.
Otabek Jo'rayev also shared his thoughts on which footballers can reach the big stage after the World Cup. First of all, it was said that there is a high probability that Eldor Shomurodov will return to one of the top-5 leagues. At the same time, there may be serious interest in Hojiakbar Alijonov and Husniddin Aliqulov. It was noted that Abbosbek Fayzullayev and Hojimat Erkinov also have great potential in the third layer.
Thus, it is evident that interest in Uzbek football is growing even more before the World Cup, and fans are supporting our national team with more confidence and hope than ever before. 2026 - awaits the writing of another historical page.
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