Eldor Shomurodov apologizes to fans in Tashkent (video)

A group of Uzbekistan national team players have returned to Tashkent following their participation in the 2026 World Cup. They were warmly welcomed in the capital by relatives, football officials, and many fans.

During the welcome ceremony, national team captain Eldor Shomurodov addressed the crowd, emphasizing that the players gave their all at the World Cup. He also apologized to the fans for the disappointing results.

Players returned to Tashkent via Istanbul

The national team members arrived in the country on a flight from Istanbul to Tashkent.

Among the returning players were:

• Abduvohid Ne’matov;

• Avazbek O‘lmasaliyev;

• Rustam Ashurmatov;

• Odil Hamrobekov;

• Aziz G‘aniyev;

• Jasur Jaloliddinov;

• Doston Hamdamov;

• Azizbek Amonov;

• and Eldor Shomurodov.

At the welcome ceremony organized after the airport arrival, the players were greeted by family members, fans, and representatives of Uzbek football.

Shomurodov addressed the fans from the podium

In the video, Eldor Shomurodov can be seen speaking to the gathered crowd from a special podium at an outdoor event.

The national team captain evaluated the players' performance at the World Cup, stating that every member of the team gave their maximum effort on the pitch.

«I can say that all the players gave their best at the World Cup. Despite the poor results, I believe that Uzbek football and all of Uzbekistan have won from this», said Shomurodov.

«Football united all of Uzbekistan»

Shomurodov noted that the national team's participation in the World Cup managed to unite millions of people in the country around a single goal.

The captain noted that although the results were not as expected, the World Cup was a great experience and an important step for Uzbek football.

«We were able to unite so many people through football. I believe this alone is something to be proud of. I apologize to everyone for the poor results», the player said.

Fans gave the players a warm welcome

Football fans of various ages attended the welcome ceremony. Some filmed the players on their phones, while others gathered at the event site to see the national team members up close.

Despite the World Cup results causing various debates among the public, the returning players were received in a warm atmosphere.

A new stage begins after the historic World Cup

The Uzbekistan national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup holds a special place in the country's football history. Although the team did not achieve the expected results, the experience gained at the world's largest football tournament will be an important lesson for future tournaments.

Now, the players face a short break and the process of preparing for the new season with their clubs. The national team's task is to analyze the mistakes made at the World Cup and build an even stronger squad for future competitions.