Former Russian Footballer's Open Advice for Uzbekistan Players
The unsuccessful participation of the Uzbekistan national team in the 2026 World Cup is being discussed within the Russian football community. Vladislav Radimov, a former player for CSKA and Zenit, shared his thoughts on the main problems of our national team.
According to him, Fabio Cannavaro's primary task was to instill confidence in the players. However, pressure and lack of experience were clearly evident in most players who had never played at a World Cup level before.
«The players lacked confidence»
In Radimov's opinion, rather than building a complex tactical system in a short time, Cannavaro was required to prepare the players psychologically.
«I think the main requirement for Fabio Cannavaro was to give the players confidence. But most of the players who had never played at this level still lacked that confidence», he said.
The former footballer also admitted that it is difficult to say exactly why Cannavaro failed in this task.
In what way did Uzbekistan lag behind its opponents?
Radimov noted that Uzbekistan appeared weaker than its group opponents in terms of skill and international experience.
In his view, the team's players still have much to learn about how to act in major tournaments, overcome pressure, and make the right decisions in decisive situations.
«Judging by the skill level and general state, Uzbekistan was weaker than its opponents. Much more needs to be learned in terms of experience».
What was the difference with DR Congo?
Radimov compared the squads of the Uzbekistan and Democratic Republic of the Congo national teams.
He pointed out that Uzbekistan has two or three players playing in Europe. In contrast, almost all players in the DR Congo squad play in France and other strong European leagues.
These players are:
adapted to high-tempo games;
hardened in a highly competitive environment;
ready to play under great pressure;
tactically and technically mature.
Therefore, they feel much more confident in tournaments like the World Cup.
African teams no longer rely solely on physical strength
The former Russian footballer also drew attention to changes in African football.
In his opinion, while African players were previously distinguished mainly by their physical strength, they have now reached a high level technically and tactically as well.
This makes teams like DR Congo a dangerous opponent for anyone.
Open advice for Uzbekistan
Radimov also pointed out the main path for our national team to become stronger in the future.
«There is a clear piece of advice for the Uzbeks: players should move to European clubs, grow there, and gain experience», he said.
According to the expert, if more players play regularly in competitive European leagues, Uzbekistan will go to the next World Cup with a much stronger squad.
When does Cannavaro's contract expire?
Fabio Cannavaro was appointed head coach of the Uzbekistan national team on October 6, 2025.
The contract signed with the Italian specialist is valid until July 31, 2026.
Information | Details |
|---|---|
Appointment date | October 6, 2025 |
Contract end | July 31, 2026 |
Main task | Managing the team at the 2026 World Cup |
Tournament result | Eliminated in the group stage |
What needs to change before the next World Cup?
Uzbekistan's first World Cup did not yield the expected result. However, the experience gained can be an important lesson for the future.
According to Radimov, for the national team to grow, it is necessary to move players to high-level leagues, increase international experience, and strengthen psychological preparation.
Do you think that more Uzbek players moving to Europe will sharply increase the level of the national team? Leave your opinion in the comments and send this article to football fans.
Comments 0
…