Uzbekistan national team head coach Fabio Cannavaro gave an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the World Cup, sharing insights on Italian football, Uzbekistan's preparations, group rivals, and Abdukodir Khusanov. The Italian expert approaches the tournament with confidence, humor, and realism.
Cannavaro described Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup as painful. He believes that despite having strong players like Donnarumma, Calafiori, Bastoni, Barella, and Tonali, the team feared Bosnia. He also noted a lack of investment in youth football and the fading of Italy's traditional defensive culture.
Speaking about the Uzbekistan team, Cannavaro jokingly mentioned an "Italian" spirit in the squad. He pointed out the team's blue jersey and noted that with the coaching staff, physiotherapists, and the head chef, there are 13 Italians working with the team. He added that pizza on the menu after matches would be a pleasant surprise for the players.
In the World Cup group stage, Uzbekistan will face strong opponents like Portugal and Colombia. Acknowledging their potential, Cannavaro stated that Uzbekistan has nothing to lose and must fight for their chances until the end.
"If you look at Portugal's midfield, you'll turn off the video after two seconds. If you look at Colombia, after ten seconds. But we keep moving forward. We have nothing to lose and we will continue to fight," said Cannavaro.
The Italian expert also discussed potential World Cup surprises, naming Turkey under Vincenzo Montella. Among the players, he specifically highlighted Abdukodir Khusanov, noting that as a fellow center-back, he sees Khusanov as a very strong player with significant room for growth.
Reflecting on his coaching career, Cannavaro recalled his time after returning from China. He felt he did good work there but wasn't given enough trust later. He admitted that joining Benevento was a mistake and acknowledged that his time at Udinese was not easy.
Cannavaro confirmed he will continue his coaching career. He sees himself as a coach in 20 years and openly stated he is working toward becoming the head coach of the Italian national team, showing he hasn't given up on his big goals.
One of the most candid parts of the interview was about the 2006 World Cup final penalty shootout. Cannavaro said that after Fabio Grosso, it should have been Luca Toni and Vincenzo Iaquinta. He and Gennaro Gattuso were at the end of the list, even after Gianluigi Buffon. He jokingly said Gattuso might have scared the goalkeeper instead of taking a penalty.
In short, Fabio Cannavaro spoke openly about Uzbekistan's chances, Khusanov's potential, and his own future dreams. He knows the strength of his opponents but is preparing his team for the battle. This World Cup is a major test for Uzbekistan and a chance for Cannavaro to write new history.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
