Cannavaro: I am proud of my players, now we work on the mistakes

The Uzbekistan national team began its historic participation in the 2026 World Cup with a match against Colombia. Unfortunately, Fabio Cannavaro's pupils conceded a 1-3 defeat to the South American representatives in the first round of the group stage.

Although the result disappointed the fans, this match holds a special place in the history of national football for the "White Wolves". The Uzbekistan national team appeared in the final stage of the World Cup for the first time and tested its capabilities against one of the world's strongest teams.

After the match, head coach Fabio Cannavaro answered journalists' questions, sharing his thoughts on the team's performance, the changes in the second half, and future tasks.

The Italian specialist noted that the match was interesting and played at a high pace. While Colombia held the initiative in the first half, Uzbekistan tried to change the nature of the game after the break.

“The game was interesting. In the second half, we managed to change the game. We created opportunities through the left flank and tried to take control of the match,” said Cannavaro.

Indeed, the "White Wolves" became much more active after the break. The team acted more boldly in the attacking line, attempting to approach the opponent's penalty area via the left wing. The players tried to circulate the ball faster and put pressure on the Colombian defense.

Cannavaro also emphasized that Uzbekistan's main task at the World Cup is not just to record a result. According to him, the national team should represent the country positively on the world football stage.

“First and foremost, we came here to present Uzbekistan positively to the whole world. I always tell my team that they must act actively during the game,” said the head coach.

Every match at the World Cup is not only a sporting result but also an opportunity to showcase the country's football, fan culture, and national character. In its first World Cup, Uzbekistan aimed to demonstrate its fighting spirit, discipline, and tenacity to the global community.

Cannavaro also touched upon how difficult it is to play against a strong team like Colombia. He noted that the South American side demonstrates a high level both with and without the ball.

“Playing against teams like Colombia, moving without the ball is not easy,” said the Italian specialist.

Colombia's squad includes players with experience in strong European and South American clubs. They put great pressure on Uzbekistan through high pressing, quick passes, and activity in individual duels. Against such an opponent, maintaining concentration and positional discipline throughout the game is required.

Despite this, Cannavaro noted that his pupils performed well in the second half. However, while the team was trying to balance the game, they conceded another goal.

“Overall, we performed well in the second half, but unfortunately, we conceded another goal,” said the coach.

The third conceded goal had a serious impact on the fate of the match. While Uzbekistan's activity and response goal gave hope to the fans, Colombia took advantage of their opportunity to further strengthen their lead.

Cannavaro also emphasized that this match will remain forever in the history of the national team. Regardless of the result, Uzbekistan's first World Cup match became an unforgettable event for players and fans.

“We will remember this game played in this stadium. Because it was a historic match. We are at the World Cup,” he said.

A dream awaited for years finally came true. Uzbekistan stepped onto the World Cup pitch, the national anthem sounded, and the national team began its history in the biggest tournament in world football.

The head coach said that despite the defeat, positive aspects could be found in the game. At the same time, admitting that there were enough mistakes, he announced that the coaching staff would analyze them and work on eliminating them.

“We can draw positive conclusions from today's game. Of course, there were mistakes, and we will work on them,” said Cannavaro.

The first-round game showed the national team how expensive every small deficiency is at the World Cup level. Positional errors in defense, repositioning after losing the ball, and focus in decisive situations are the main aspects that need to be analyzed before the next matches.

Cannavaro did not hide that he was satisfied with his pupils' efforts. He expressed pride in the players for spending all their strength on the field and continuing to fight even in a difficult situation.

“I am proud of my players. They played well. Today was a difficult game,” said the specialist.

Taking the field in a huge stadium, in front of thousands of fans and under the attention of the whole world, is a great test for any footballer. Especially for team members participating in the World Cup for the first time, the excitement and responsibility are even higher.

“It is not easy to play in such a stadium, in front of so many fans. But this can also give you extra motivation,” Cannavaro added.

The atmosphere in the stands, the support of the fans, and the historical event itself gave strength to the players. Although the result was not as expected, the team showed character in the second half and tried to fight the opponent.

The defeat against Colombia does not end Uzbekistan's journey at the World Cup. There are two more important matches ahead. Now Cannavaro's staff must analyze the mistakes of the first game and prepare the team physically and mentally for the next matches.

Time is very short at the World Cup. Players must forget the defeat quickly, learn the necessary lessons from it, and enter the field with new strength against the next opponent.

Uzbekistan lost its first game, but took a historic step. The "White Wolves" have now felt the World Cup atmosphere, experienced the pressure of the big stage, and gained important experience for future matches.

As Cannavaro noted, one can be proud of the players' efforts. Now the main task is to draw the right conclusions from the mistakes, not to lose confidence, and to fully demonstrate Uzbekistan's true potential in the next matches.