Uzbekistan national team forward Eldor Shomurodov has, in recent years, become a focal point of attention not only at the national level but also on the international stage thanks to his consistent performances and high results. He has played 90 matches for the national team and has scored 44 goals, making him the absolute leader by this indicator.
At present, the 30-year-old striker has a major goal ahead — to participate in Uzbekistan’s first-ever FIFA World Cup. Therefore, he is trying to make the most правильные decisions in his career. In an interview with the reputable Turkish portal sporx.com, Shomurodov openly explained the reasons behind his choice.
According to the player, he did not consider returning to Russia at all. Despite interest from several clubs, including Beşiktaş and others, he chose Başakşehir. The main reason for this decision was the desire to have regular playing practice and to prepare as much as possible for the World Cup.
Shomurodov did not hide that he had the opportunity to stay at Roma, but since regular playing time was not guaranteed there, he chose another path. In his opinion, there is less pressure at the Istanbul club and a higher chance to play in every match. This is extremely important for a 30-year-old footballer.
- “I did not receive any offers from Russia, and I myself did not consider the option of returning to that country. There were offers from Beşiktaş and Başakşehir, as well as from other leagues.
I chose Başakşehir because the World Cup is ahead and I wanted to have more playing practice. I could have stayed at Roma, but I did not want that myself. There is less pressure here. I was told that I would play in every match. This is very important for me because I am already thirty,” says Eldor Shomurodov.
The forward also separately highlighted the club’s infrastructure and developed academy. According to him, Başakşehir has been regularly participating in European competitions for the past 11 years and has also become the national champion. This shows that the club is a serious and stable project.
- “I chose a club with a very good youth academy. Başakşehir has been regularly participating in European competitions for 11 years. This team has also become the national champion,” says Eldor Shomurodov.
The arrival of Nuri Şahin to the team also became an unexpected but pleasant news for Shomurodov. He noted that the coach’s style of play matches his football views and this gave him additional confidence.
- “The arrival of Nuri Şahin surprised me. He shows the kind of football I like. This gave me even more confidence,” says Eldor Shomurodov.
Shomurodov also spoke about important turning points in his career. He said that when he moved to Roma, he imagined himself as a leading forward like Edin Džeko. However, after the transfer of Tammy Abraham for a large sum, the situation changed sharply and the competition for a place in the starting lineup increased significantly.
- “When I moved to Roma, I thought I would be like Edin Džeko. We discussed my opportunities a lot. The question arises — could I have played somewhere else besides Roma.
After Roma bought Tammy Abraham for 40 million euros, everything suddenly changed, and he was given the opportunity to play 90 minutes in every match,” says Eldor Shomurodov.
Despite this, the Uzbek striker tried to prove himself in other teams. He played on loan in various clubs, gained experience, and later managed to show his game at Roma as well. Especially under Claudio Ranieri, his performance improved, and he became an important figure in the team’s attacking line.
However, after a change of coach — the arrival of Gian Piero Gasperini — Shomurodov decided to look for a new challenge and eventually moved to Turkey.
Currently, he is showing stable performances at Başakşehir: in all competitions, he has played 37 matches, scored 17 goals, and provided 5 assists. These numbers clearly prove that he made the right choice.
In short, Eldor Shomurodov has started a new stage in his career. Now the main question is — will he be able to maintain this form at the World Cup? If he continues at this pace, the opponents’ goals will tremble many more times — that’s a fact.
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