Within a month, the Uzbek football team will make its debut at the FIFA World Cup as the only representative from Central Asia and the Caucasus. This is an important achievement that underscores the positive momentum of Uzbek football across both the men’s and women’s national squads.
Uzbekistan is in a tough group, with three difficult opponents: Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Portugal. The good news for fans of Uzbekistan is that the squad is composed of players already in top-level leagues. The best example is Abdukodir Khusanov, currently playing for Manchester City; in fact, Khusanov is the first-ever Uzbek player in the English Premier League (EPL). At the time of writing, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said Khusanov is doing “better” following an injury. He had a “tough knock against Beto when he played Everton. He’s better,” Guardiola said recently.
According to Transfermarkt, which tracks player market values, Khusanov is valued at $41 million (35 million euro). Because of his youth, skill, and success in the EPL, it is no surprise that a recent profile about Khusanov by The Athletic compared him to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The article explained that Khusanov, age 22, is the Uzbek squad’s “best player, both in defense with his rapid pace and exceptional reading of the game.”
