Rustam Ashurmatov: "We will give 1000% of our strength against Portugal"

Uzbekistan national team defender Rustam Ashurmatov shared his thoughts after the historic match against Colombia in the first round of the 2026 World Cup group stage.

The "White Wolves" lost 1:3 to Colombia in their first World Cup match. Despite the unexpected result, the national team played its first-ever World Cup game and scored its first goal in the tournament's history.

Ashurmatov emphasized that qualifying for the World Cup and stepping onto this grand stage is a source of incomparable pride for every player.

"Reaching the World Cup is a great honor. It's a very different feeling. Scoring in the first match brought us additional happiness and joy. It's hard to fully express this in words," said the defender.

In his opinion, Uzbekistan had the chance to fight for a victory in the match against Colombia, but luck was not on the national team's side in some situations.

"We could have won this game, but we lacked a bit of luck. Now, we will take the field only for victory in the next matches," the footballer added.

Now, an even more serious test awaits Uzbekistan — a match against the Portugal national team. Rustam Ashurmatov stated that the team has been recovering step by step after the Colombia game and has begun preparations for the next opponent.

According to him, the players are improving their condition both tactically and physically.

"We have recovered day by day. Today we started preparing for Portugal. We are improving tactically and physically. We will use all our capabilities on the pitch. We won't give a hundred percent, we will give a thousand percent," said Ashurmatov.

The match against Portugal also holds a special symbolic meaning for the defender, as he was one of the players who met Cristiano Ronaldo in Tashkent during his childhood.

Ashurmatov was 13 years old when the Portuguese star visited Tashkent in 2009. Back then, the young footballers played ball with Ronaldo and took commemorative photos.

"His arrival in Tashkent was an unexpected event for us. He played football with us and took photos. At that time, it was beyond our imagination that one day we would face Ronaldo at the World Cup. This is history," he said.

Years later, that young footballer is now on the verge of facing Ronaldo as an opponent on the World Cup stage. However, Ashurmatov noted that Uzbekistan is preparing to fight not just to stop the Portuguese star, but against the entire Portugal team.

"In the upcoming game, we will fight not only against Ronaldo, but against the entire Portugal national team," said the defender.

Ashurmatov also noted that much has changed in his life since that childhood meeting. The players have grown, gained experience in international competitions, and have now reached the World Cup, which the entire nation of Uzbekistan is watching.

"First of all, our age and experience have changed. We have participated in several international tournaments and matches. Now we are at the World Cup, and our whole people are watching us. That childhood remains inside us, but on the pitch, we will fight against him," said the footballer.

According to the defender, facing star players should not be seen as an extraordinary situation. Every team that reaches the World Cup must be ready to fight against the strongest opponents.

"We dreamed of participating in the World Cup. Now we have to play against any stars, and we are ready for it," Ashurmatov emphasized.

The match between Uzbekistan and Portugal will be another historic test for our national team. The "White Wolves" will strive to please the fans by acting with discipline, courage, and maximum dedication on the pitch.