The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has summed up the performance of the Uzbekistan national team at the 2026 World Cup, noting the historic nature of the team's first appearance in the final tournament, UzDaily.uz reported.
As noted in the FIFA review, the Uzbek national team finished the tournament in the group stage, but their debut at the world's largest football competition marked a significant milestone in the development of national football.
FIFA singled out midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who scored Uzbekistan's first World Cup goal, a goal against Colombia. Furthermore, Eldor Shomurodov's goal in the match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo was named the best goal of the group stage in a vote supported by Hyundai.
According to FIFA, the team under Fabio Cannavaro maintained a technical and attacking style of play, although as the tournament progressed, the players found it increasingly difficult to maintain a high tempo. The organization also highlighted the potential of young players, including 18-year-old Behruz Karimov.
Despite their elimination after the group stage, the Uzbekistan national team's performance can be considered successful in terms of the long-term development of national football. The very fact of qualifying for the World Cup confirmed the qualitative progress achieved in recent years thanks to the development of the youth system, improved infrastructure, and the rise of the domestic championship.
At the tournament, the team demonstrated its ability to compete against high-level opponents and maintain its own playing style based on technical preparation and high intensity.
At the same time, the tournament highlighted the need to further improve physical fitness, squad depth, and experience competing in major international tournaments.
The experience gained by the young players creates a solid foundation for the next training cycle, and FIFA recognition and the individual achievements of the players confirm that Uzbekistan is gradually establishing itself among the fastest-improving football teams in Asia.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 23, 2026