Rustam Ashurmatov: "It was hard to accept such a celebration"

The return of the Uzbekistan national team from the World Cup turned into a grand celebration. However, according to defender Rustam Ashurmatov, the players did not feel as happy as expected at the welcoming ceremony — on the contrary, they felt uncomfortable.

"Kun.uz" the footballer gave an open interview about the World Cup results, the fans' support, and the true assessment of the national team.

"Why are they honoring us so much, we wondered"

According to Ashurmatov, the players did not expect such a large welcoming ceremony to be organized upon returning to Uzbekistan.

After the President's encouragement of the national team, a special event was organized to boost the players' morale. However, the team members could not feel at ease at the celebration because they were not satisfied with the results.

"We didn't advance from the group, we didn't win a single match. But they welcomed us with a huge celebration. Not only me, but other players also felt uncomfortable. We thought, 'Why are they honoring us so much?'" said Ashurmatov.

First World Cup — historic, but unsatisfactory result

The Uzbekistan national team's participation in the World Cup was a historic event for the country's football. The national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time, fulfilling the dream of millions of fans.

Nevertheless, Ashurmatov emphasized that the players did not want to settle for mere participation.

"Yes, we qualified for the World Cup and participated in it. It was our first time, of course, that's good. But deep down, we couldn't accept such a grand welcome," said the defender.

Ashurmatov rated the team 2 or 3 out of 10

When the footballer rated the national team's World Cup performance on a 10-point scale, he expressed a very demanding opinion about himself and his teammates.

According to him, the 11 goals conceded by the team left no room for a high rating.

"I would give the team 2 or 3 points. Because we conceded 11 goals — that's a lot. What else should I give a higher rating for?" said Ashurmatov.

Fans showed faith until the end

Even after defeats against Colombia and Portugal, Uzbek fans continued to support the national team.

Ashurmatov said the players felt this trust and affection very deeply. At the same time, he did not hide that the fans' support did not ease the pain of the defeats on the pitch.

"We fulfilled the dream of our entire nation, of all Uzbekistan. Even after the defeats, the fans believed in us. But we still lost," said the footballer.

These words of Rustam Ashurmatov showed how heavily the national team members took the World Cup results. A historic qualification was achieved, but the players themselves now clearly understand that mere participation is no longer enough — results and victories are expected.