Yurevich reveals the two qualities that turned Abdukodir Khusanov into a star

Belarusian expert Anatoly Yurevich Abdukodir Khusanov's "Manchester City" level rise was not just about speed and physical strength. In his opinion, there are two most important qualities that set the Uzbek defender apart from his peers.

The two main strengths in Khusanov

Yurevich sport5.by in an interview with the publication, noted that he has known Khusanov since he was 16. The expert said that the player's speed and athleticism are noticeable, but the factors that brought him to a high level are different.

"Abdukodir has two qualities developed at a very high level: the first is an inner core, that is, character. The second is his fantastic ability to learn," said Yurevich.

According to the coach, the player's existing talent is more important than the championship in which he plays. But natural ability alone is not enough — a strong character and the ability to accept new knowledge are necessary to develop it.

What do Belarusian players lack?

Yurevich did not deny that there are talented young people in Belarusian football as well. However, he noted that for most of them, their attitude towards work and motivation are obstacles to reaching a high international level.

He emphasized that some players:

• do not know how to train properly;

• do not clearly define the final goal;

• do not put in enough effort for success;

• approach the work process as amateurs, not professionals.

Khusanov, on the other hand, understood the tasks given by the coach and tried to fulfill them completely. Yurevich said that this attitude was the decisive factor in his rapid development.

"When the coach and the player are in harmony, results appear"

The expert emphasized that every player has a limit to their potential, and the coach's task is to get the maximum result from it.

According to Yurevich, the coach should offer the player a clear path for work and development. The player, in turn, must perform these tasks consciously, completely, and with discipline.

"When these two things are combined, a real player emerges," he said.

In Khusanov's case, the coach's demand and the player's attitude towards work merged at one point. As a result, a young defender who was almost unknown in Belarus reached one of the world's strongest clubs in a few years.

The road to big football started in Minsk

Abdukodir Khusanov was trained at the Bunyodkor academy, but did not play an official match for the club's main team. In 2022, he moved to the Belarusian club Energetik-BGU and developed for nearly three years under Yurevich's leadership.

It was in Minsk that his speed, determination in duels, and defensive actions caught the attention of European clubs. Khusanov himself later noted that he had gone through a very good football school in Belarus.

In the summer of 2023, he moved to the French club Lens. The French club specifically noted Khusanov's speed, physical strength, and confident actions in duels.

A historic 40 million euro transfer

In January 2025, Manchester City signed a contract with Khusanov until the summer of 2029. He became the first Uzbek footballer to move to a Premier League club.

Although the transfer fee was not officially disclosed, Reuters reported that the deal was worth approximately 40 million euros. This became a record transfer in the history of Uzbekistan football.

Khusanov's current market value on the Transfermarkt portal is listed at 50 million euros. In his first full season at Manchester City, he participated in 47 matches in all competitions.

The main lesson behind Khusanov's success

Abdukodir Khusanov's journey shows that talent alone is not enough for big football. While speed and physical strength opened up his potential, character, learning ability, and a serious attitude towards training turned this potential into results.

According to Yurevich, this is exactly what set Khusanov apart from others: he did not just listen to the coach's request, he understood it and fully implemented it in practice.

In your opinion, can Abdukodir Khusanov become the world's best defender in the future?