Cannavaro does not earn €4 million: who is he paying out of his own pocket?

Fabio Cannavaro, head coach of the Uzbekistan national team, has once again denied reports about his salary. The Italian specialist said that the figure of €4 million per year is not true and also revealed an unexpected detail about his coaching staff.

According to Cannavaro, he is paying some members of his staff out of his own pocket. Rolando Bianchi, who works with the forwards, joined the national team without demanding a salary.

“My salary is not €4 million”

At a press conference held at the Uzbekistan Football Association on 5 August, Cannavaro was asked about the salary figure widely reported in the media.

In his response, the coach categorically denied the information about €4 million.

“My salary is not €4 million. I even pay the salaries of some specialists on the coaching staff out of my own pocket. My assistant coach, Rolando Bianchi, came to work completely free of charge,” Cannavaro said.

The Italian specialist did not disclose the actual amount stipulated in his contract. Therefore, his annual salary is still not officially known.

Where did the €4 million figure come from?

Ahead of the World Cup, some foreign publications reported that Cannavaro earned €4 million per year with the Uzbekistan national team. Spain’s AS included him among the highest-paid coaches at the tournament, stating that only Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann earned more than him.

However, this figure was not confirmed by the Uzbekistan Football Association. Ravshan Ermatov, First Vice-President of the UFA, had also previously denied the information about €4 million, saying that the actual amount was “not even half of half” of that figure.

The fact that the financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed has opened the door to various assumptions. Cannavaro’s latest statement has once again cast doubt on the €4 million figure.

What does Rolando Bianchi do with the national team?

Former Italian striker Rolando Bianchi was brought into the Uzbekistan national team’s coaching staff in May 2026. He was tasked with working separately with the forwards.

During his playing career, Bianchi represented clubs such as «Atalanta», «Reggina», «Manchester City», «Torino», «Bologna» and «Mallorca». In particular, because of his goalscoring experience in the Italian championship, he was invited to work with Eldor Shomurodov and the national team’s other forwards.

According to Cannavaro, Bianchi came to Uzbekistan not primarily for financial gain, but to work at the World Cup and enhance his coaching experience.

What does it mean for the coach to cover the staff’s expenses himself?

Cannavaro said that he was paying some of his assistants from his own funds, but did not disclose which specialists were involved or how much he was paying.

This may mean that the coach wanted to add reliable specialists who fit his working methods to the staff, but that not all of them had entered into direct financial contracts with the UFA.

At the same time, this statement indicates that the funds allocated for Cannavaro himself and for the entire coaching staff should not be conflated. The large sum mentioned in the media may have been related not only to the head coach’s salary, but also to staff expenses or the overall value of the contract. However, no official information confirming this possibility has been published.

Pressure on Cannavaro increased after the World Cup

Fabio Cannavaro took charge of the Uzbekistan national team in October 2025. The UFA signed a contract with him to prepare for the first World Cup in the country’s history.

At the 2026 World Cup, Uzbekistan faced Colombia, Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Group «K» and lost all three matches. The team scored two goals and conceded 11.

After the debut ended unsuccessfully, the coach’s work, the team’s preparation and the value of the contract once again became the focus of discussion. Despite the result, Cannavaro continues to emphasize that Uzbek football needs long-term development and greater investment in academies and young players.

The actual salary remains a secret

Cannavaro denied reports about €4 million, while Ravshan Ermatov also said that the figure was far from the truth. However, the exact financial terms of the contract between the UFA and the coach have not been disclosed to the public.

Therefore, the only conclusion that can be stated with confidence today is this: Cannavaro’s annual salary of €4 million has not been officially confirmed, and the coach himself is also denying it.

From now on, the discussion will focus not only on how much Cannavaro earns, but also on how the national team will change before the Asian Cup and how the Italian specialist will use the lessons learned at the World Cup. Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!