Courage that amazed Infantino: He assessed Uzbekistan's matches at the 2026 World Cup

1 October 2026, 11:46·35·Sport

The 2026 World Cup, held on the green pitches of the USA, Mexico, and Canada, was engraved in golden letters in the chronicles of Uzbek football. Following the tournament, Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), shared his warm and sincere thoughts about the national team of Uzbekistan's debut at the mundial.

When asked by the head of the international football organization, "Did you watch Uzbekistan's matches at the World Cup and what impressed you the most?", Infantino did not hide his amazement as both a specialist and a fan.

"The biggest impression was that the players stepped onto the pitch with their hearts"

The FIFA president emphasized that the dedication of Uzbek players on the pitch outweighed any result:

"Yes, of course, I watched the matches, and I told the country's president about this as well. The aspect that left the biggest impression on me was that the players stepped onto the pitch with all their hearts.
This was their first appearance at a World Cup. You know, this is a completely different experience, a totally new level. You are amazed by what is happening, but they really played a very good game. The match against Colombia... They held onto a draw, but conceded a goal in the very last minutes. However, that is not so important, because they succeeded in making the entire country proud.
A great many teams play at the World Cup, but Uzbekistan played from the bottom of their hearts. Actually, that is the most important thing."

Historical step: The path of Cannavaro's disciples at the mundial

Under the guidance of the famous Italian specialist Fabio Cannavaro, the Uzbekistan national team, which qualified for the final stage of the mundial for the first time in history, played complex matches in Group "K" featuring strong opponents:

Colombia — Uzbekistan 3:1: The debut match took place at the legendary "Azteca" stadium in Mexico City. Until the end of the match, our compatriots put up a worthy resistance against the world grand and earned the applause of the fans.
Portugal — Uzbekistan 5:0: In the second round, the vast experience of the Portuguese, one of the main favorites of the tournament, spoke for itself.
Congo — Uzbekistan 3:1: In the final dramatic match of the group, the opponents had the upper hand, and our national team bid farewell to the tournament without scoring any points.

World recognition: Shomurodov and Husanov in the global spotlight

Although the team failed to advance from the group stage to the playoffs, representatives of Uzbekistan inscribed their names in the statistics and records of the mundial:

Shomurodov's masterpiece: The goal scored by national team captain and top scorer Eldor Shomurodov was officially recognized as one of the two most beautiful goals of the entire World Cup.
Husanov's record speed: The absolute leader of the defensive line, Abduqodir Husanov, secured a firm spot among the fastest defenders of the mundial and attracted the attention of major scouts.
Discovery of new names: The World Cup served as a huge springboard for the international football community and giant clubs to discover several more young and talented Uzbek players.

Uzbekistan's participation in the 2026 World Cup not only opened a new era for the country's sports but also further increased the respect of the world football elite toward our national football.