Valeriy Kechinov: "Uzbekistan will put Portugal's nerves to the test"

Valeriy Kechinov, a product of Paxtakor and a renowned former footballer who achieved great success with Spartak Moscow, is also rooting for the Uzbekistan national team at the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with the media, the famous footballer discussed the historic success of Uzbek football and the opportunities for our representatives at the World Cup.

A huge and historic achievement for Uzbekistan

Valeriy Kechinov emphasized that the national team's qualification for the World Cup finals is a true celebration and a massive success for the country.

"There can be no two opinions here — this is a huge achievement for Uzbekistan. The team, the coaching staff, and the entire football system deserve special praise for this result; each of them deserves recognition," says the former footballer.

Team strength and key leaders

During the conversation, Kechinov highlighted the strengths of the current Uzbekistan national team, noting that while there are standout stars, the main strength lies in unity:

• Team play: Uzbekistan's strength is based not on one or two players, but on a cohesive and strong team game.

• Clear leaders: The squad features strong leaders such as Eldor Shomurodov, Abbosbek Fayzullayev, and Abduqodir Husanov.

• Talented squad: There are enough other talented young players on the field who can make their mark and decide the fate of the game at any moment.

"It won't be easy for Portugal either"

Speaking about the upcoming matches against Portugal and DR Congo, Kechinov warned that the opponents should expect a very difficult test. In his opinion, the Uzbekistan national team is an inconvenient opponent for any grand team.

"It won't be easy for anyone, and Portugal among these teams is no exception. I think Uzbekistan will put the Portuguese nerves to the test quite a bit," Valeriy Kechinov confidently concluded.