Uzbekistan lost, but surprised with one statistic at the 2026 World Cup...

The Uzbekistan national team did not achieve the expected results in its first World Cup. However, one indicator recorded in the FIFA Match Report Hub data showed that our players fought until the end on the pitch: Uzbekistan surpassed England and Brazil in terms of average distance covered.

The result is tough, but there was effort

The Uzbekistan national team, led by Fabio Cannavaro, participated in the 2026 World Cup for the first time in its history. This alone was a major event for Uzbek football.

However, the group stage was difficult in terms of results. Uzbekistan lost to Colombia 1:3, Portugal 0:5, and DR Congo 1:3. The team finished the tournament without points and with a goal difference of 2:11.

Nevertheless, the physical activity and struggle indicators on the pitch show a different picture.

Uzbekistan ran over 112 km in each game

According to the data, Uzbek players covered an average of more than 112 kilometers in each match.

This indicator placed Uzbekistan among the most resilient teams in the World Cup. Most interestingly, our national team recorded a higher result in this regard than giants like England and Brazil.

These figures clearly show one thing: even though Uzbekistan lost in terms of results, it was not a passive team on the pitch in terms of movement, pressing, and running volume.

Who is in the Top 10?

In the list of leading teams by average distance covered at the 2026 World Cup, the USA national team took first place. The Americans covered an average of 118.4 kilometers per game.

Australia and South Korea follow in the next positions.

Uzbekistan's ranking at 23rd is not a bad indicator, especially for a debutant team. Yes, there are painful scores on the board. But in GPS terms, the boys were not running in "economy mode."

A higher indicator than England and Brazil

Uzbekistan's covering of more distance than England and Brazil is particularly noteworthy.

Of course, running alone does not guarantee victory in football. The important thing is how the distance was covered, which zones were occupied, and how high-quality the decisions were with and without the ball.

However, from the point of view of physical preparation and discipline, this indicator is a positive signal. Uzbekistan's players showed that they could physically compete against strong opponents in the tournament.

Where was the problem?

Uzbekistan ran a lot, but the result did not come. This means that the main problem was not just physical preparation.

The team lacked experience, high-tempo decision-making, concentration in defense, and efficiency in attack. In the World Cup, every mistake is punished, and every empty zone becomes an opportunity for the opponent.

This exact difference was felt in the games against Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo: Uzbekistan tried, but the opponents used the situations much more cool-headedly.

Fayzullayev and Shomurodov entered history

Although the results were tough, the 2026 World Cup opened several important pages in the history of Uzbek football.

Abbosbek Fayzullayev and Eldor Shomurodov entered history as Uzbek players who scored goals in the World Cup. This is an important symbolic event for future generations.

For the first time, Uzbekistan felt the atmosphere of the Mundial, faced the strongest opponents, and took the first step to show itself in world football.

What does this indicator mean?

An average distance of over 112 kilometers is not just a statistic. It means that the team did not give up on the pitch, ran against the opponent, fought, and tried to show itself physically.

However, this is not enough for the next stage. Now, Uzbek football needs to add quality, quick thinking, tactical precision, and high-level attacking efficiency on top of that endurance.

The World Cup taught us a bitter but necessary lesson: you cannot succeed just by running, but you cannot succeed at all without running.

The most important conclusion after the debut

Uzbekistan finished the 2026 World Cup without points. This is the truth. But it is also true that the team recorded a higher result in terms of physical activity than England and Brazil.

Now the main task is to turn this hard work into results. If tactical quality is added to physical preparation, character, and effort, Uzbekistan could appear in a different light in future major tournaments.

This Mundial was difficult. But the first big lesson for Uzbek football also started right here.