WC-2026. Eldor Shomurodov: "Psychology was the main factor"

The historic debut of the Uzbekistan national team at the World Cup was followed with great interest not only in our country but also abroad. In particular, Russia's prestigious "Sport-Express" publication conducted an exclusive interview with our national team captain, Eldor Shomurodov, after the team concluded its participation in the tournament.

Below is the text version of this interview for your attention.

"Mistakes start when we are leading in the score"

— Fabio Cannavaro said that the team lacked experience, especially in the second half when you unexpectedly switched to long balls. Was that actually the case?

— Yes, of course. Psychology was the main factor here. When you are leading, you want to avoid conceding and maintain the advantage at all costs. That's when mistakes start. We couldn't control the ball well, and I think that's why the opponent punished us.

— Did Abbosbek Fayzullaev touch the ball in the assist situation?

— He said he touched it himself. I hope the assist is credited to him.

"You will remember a World Cup goal for the rest of your life"

— How important is it for you to have scored at the World Cup?

— Of course, it is important for me. You will remember a goal scored at the World Cup for the rest of your life. It would have been even better if we had won.

— Did you swap shirts with anyone after the match against Portugal (0:5)?

— No. At that moment, I wasn't in the mood to swap shirts with anyone.

Cannavaro's contribution to the team

— What was Cannavaro able to give to the team?

— A lot of positive things. I won't list them one by one. We didn't have enough time to fully absorb all of his ideas. But from a professional point of view, he taught the players a lot and showed what kind of player you need to be to play at a high level.

— Would you like to say something to the people who contributed to your career in Russia?

— I want to say a big thank you to everyone who cheered for us and supported us. Greetings and gratitude to all.