Dmitriy Kuznetsov wishes the Uzbekistan national team luck at the 2026 World Cup

The biggest and most anticipated football festival of the year, the 2026 World Cup, is entering its intense phase across the ocean. As the world's eyes are fixed on the pitches of the USA, Mexico, and Canada, renowned football experts and former stars are sharing their predictions and thoughts. Among them, former Russian national team defender Dmitriy Kuznetsov, who famously played for the Spanish club Espanyol during his prime, shared his sincere wishes regarding the current tournament.

The experienced former player revealed which teams he is supporting in this World Cup:

— "In this World Cup, I am following the matches of both the Spain and Uzbekistan national teams with special excitement and attention. The reason I chose the Pyreneans is clear — I played in La Liga, one of the top five leagues, and that football is close to my heart.

As for Uzbekistan, this country is very close and connected to Russia. Therefore, the success of Uzbek players is very valuable to me. I sincerely hope the national team reaches the play-off (Round of 16) stage. In fact, qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in their history is already a great achievement and a true example of resilience and courage.

As for the main favorites of the competition, I can name Argentina, Brazil, and France — especially the French, whose squad is very strong in every aspect. At the same time, Portugal, the homeland of Cristiano Ronaldo, could also provide a surprise," noted Dmitriy Kuznetsov.

Recall that this most prestigious competition in the football world, which officially started on June 11 and will continue until July 19, features 48 national teams competing for the main trophy for the first time in the history of the beautiful game.

The historical schedule of our national team

What excites the hearts of our fans is that the Uzbekistan national team is in Group K of this World Cup. Our representatives face very serious and intense matches against world giants. For the convenience of many, we remind you of the schedule of matches involving our compatriots and the Tashkent time:

We wish our representatives great success in this historic journey across the ocean!

Follow the first historic steps of the Uzbekistan national team at the World Cup, exclusive reports from matches, game analysis, and the hottest news of the tournament with us on the Zamin pages!