In an interview with Setanta Sports Uzbekistan, Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov spoke about the most important moments of his career, about ordinary, but very interesting details of his life for fans. In the interview, he did not present himself as a “star turned companion” - on the contrary, he said a lot in a calm, calm and truthful manner.
“We will see each other every day” - real football life
According to Khusanov, he meets with his teammates almost every day: training is constant, the regime is strict. And it is felt that the fact that relatives and family often come to the games is a great support for him. This is what recharges the “mental battery” in life in Britain.
World Cup qualification – the joy of 38 million people
One of the most touching answers: When the Uzbekistan national team qualified for the World Cup, they no longer said “it’s about me.” Khusanov’s first thought was “we made 38 million people happy.” This is where his character shines: he attributes great results not to “me,” but to “us.”
On the growth of the national team: there is attention – there is also growth
He also expressed his opinion that attention has increased in Uzbekistan for football, and therefore the results have increased. He explained this by the country’s systemic approach – such results as youth achievements, the Olympics, and the World Cup qualification make you feel that “it didn’t come out of thin air.”
Difficult opponents and anxiety after Liverpool
The fans’ question “Who was the most difficult opponent?” He even replied, “I can’t remember” – this is also typical of Khusanov: he doesn’t make a fuss. Regarding the injury scare after the match with Liverpool, he was very brief and reliable: “Everything is fine, thank God.”
How is he doing in the busy schedule? “No problem”
“City” has been in several competitions, the schedule is tight. Khusanov said that he takes it as “no problem”, and the support of his family and the team gives him strength. In short: “It’s hard, but that’s our job.”
Number 45 – not Balotelli, but his history
One of the most frequently asked questions is about number 45. Khusanov said that he chose this number at “City” not just because of the trend, but because he played with that number before – he started his professional career in Belarus with the number 45, and then it became a habit.
At the same time, the club’s official website also confirmed that he will play with number 45 at “City”.
Position, best memory and ideal partner
When asked “centre-back or right-winger?” Khusanov would say centre-back without hesitation.
He cited the match against PSG for Lens as the most memorable match of his career. There were also reports about this around the same time.
If a retired defender had to choose an ideal partner, he would say Fabio Cannavaro – a classic choice, but very meaningful: he values the mentality and positional intelligence for victory.
Short biography: “from the academy to the Etihad”
Khusanov is a graduate of the Bunyodkor academy. He took his first steps in senior football at Energetik-BGU in Belarus. Then, it was said that he attracted the attention of scouts in Europe and moved to Lens in the summer of 2023.
On January 20, 2025, Manchester City officially signed him: the transfer fee was reported to be around 40 million euros, according to British media.
Conclusion: “little talk, big character”
After this interview, one thing is clear: Khusanov does not walk with “noise”, but with work. There is no pomp in him, but there is confidence. And the most pleasant thing for the fan is that he behaves as simply as before on the big stage. And everyone feels that behind this simplicity lie big goals.
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