Cannavaro: “I must be the only stupid coach who took Masharipov to the World Cup”

Head coach of the Uzbekistan national team Fabio Cannavaro revealed the medical details behind Jaloliddin Masharipov’s inability to play at the World Cup. The Italian coach said he tried until the very end to take the player to the tournament, but the problem was related not to the suspected knee injury, but to his back.

Cannavaro described the decision as an important lesson for himself. He considered Masharipov’s previous achievements, influence within the team and leadership qualities, but the player’s health did not allow him to take the field at a major tournament.

“I must be the only stupid coach who decided to take him”

At a press conference, Cannavaro explained his decision regarding Masharipov with a harsh and self-critical phrase.

“Based on Masharipov’s condition before the World Cup, I must be the only stupid coach who decided to take him to the tournament.”

With these words, the coach did not intend to belittle the player, but meant that he had taken a major risk by including him in the squad despite his lack of sufficient match practice.

Cannavaro highly valued not only Masharipov’s ability on the pitch, but also his influence in the dressing room and his psychological impact on the team. A month before the World Cup, he admitted that the midfielder was still not fully fit, but said he would try to take him to the tournament because of his activity and role within the squad.

“We included him in the squad after considering what kind of player he is, what influence he can have on the team and his previous contributions. We tried to help him as much as we could,” Cannavaro said.

Examinations in Dubai and Rome were not enough

According to the head coach, not only the national team’s medical staff but also specialists abroad were involved in trying to return Masharipov to the pitch.

Cannavaro said he met the player in Dubai and Rome and consulted qualified doctors about possible surgery and subsequent treatment.

“I saw him in Dubai and Rome. We also involved all the qualified specialists regarding the surgery.”

This process shows that serious efforts were made not simply to keep Masharipov in the extended squad, but to get him ready for the World Cup.

However, medical examinations showed that the main danger was not in the knee, which had initially attracted attention.

The main obstacle was a back problem

According to Cannavaro, Masharipov’s knee was initially considered the main problem. Further examinations showed that the condition preventing him from playing at the World Cup was related to his back.

“His main problem was not the knee we had thought about and focused on, but his back. That problem prevented him from taking part in the World Cup.”

Before the World Cup, Cannavaro had also said that Masharipov’s removal from the squad was linked not to his previous knee problem but to another injury. At the time, it was noted that the player had played only 20 minutes in the previous eight months.

A back problem can affect a player’s acceleration, changes of direction, shooting and ability to move at high intensity. However, since the exact diagnosis and medical details of the injury have not been officially released, it would be incorrect to attribute it to a specific condition.

Doubts grew after the match in Tashkent

Cannavaro said that differences in the movement of Masharipov’s knees were still noticeable after his match in Tashkent. After that, the player was sent to Dubai for an additional medical examination.

“Even after his match in Tashkent, we noticed a difference involving his knee. That is why we sent him to Dubai for another medical examination.”

Although the coaching staff took the player’s desire to compete at a major tournament into account, they could not completely dismiss the health risk.

Masharipov began preparations for the World Cup with the national team, but could not take full part in training. The results of the medical examinations were then submitted to FIFA’s medical committee, and it became clear that he would not be able to play at the tournament. Ruslanbek Jiyanov was included in the final squad in his place.

Why did Cannavaro wait until the very end?

Masharipov’s retention in the squad was not based solely on his technical ability. For many years, he had been one of the players organizing the national team’s attacks, escaping pressure with the ball and delivering decisive passes.

In addition, having experienced players in the squad was psychologically important for a historic World Cup. Cannavaro took these factors into account and decided to keep Masharipov in the squad until the last possible moment.

However, the coach’s admission today also signals a change in this approach. In other statements, he said that players would now be called up based on their current fitness and form rather than their previous achievements.

The situation involving Masharipov appears to have been one of the hardest examples that led Cannavaro to this decision.

There will be no rush over Masharipov’s return

Cannavaro’s words suggest that the national team staff tried almost every medical option to take Masharipov to the World Cup. However, the final decision regarding the player’s health was placed above sporting results.

His return to the pitch will now depend not on a specific date or the next training camp, but on his complete recovery. If Masharipov returns to his previous level, he may receive another chance with the national team under Cannavaro’s new selection criteria.

The most important conclusion from this story is not the coach’s harsh phrase calling himself “stupid”. What matters is that Cannavaro openly admitted he fought until the end for Masharipov to play at the World Cup, but medical reality proved stronger than all the plans. Share your opinion in the comments and send the article to sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!