A June 17 opening match against Colombia in Mexico City is seen as a prize itself, capping a rapid rise in the popularity of football in the landlocked Central Asian country."If we look at the last few years, not only the senior team, but also at youth level, our national sides are now the best in Asia," Abdusaid Ruzimatov, a 22-year-old fan told AFP, at a gala match in the capital Tashkent last month.He was one of 30,000 packed into the national stadium for a friendly before the team -- nicknamed the White Wolves -- departed for North America.Uzbekistan's youth teams have won Asian Cups at the under-23, under-20 and under-17 level, with the men's team now a solid force in the Asian confederation.
Boys play football in a street on the outskirts of Tashkent © Igor IVANKO / AFP
The success comes hand-in-hand with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's "New Uzbekistan" project -- reforms meant to liberalise, open-up and raise the profile of the former Soviet republic.Through his decade in power, he has courted foreign investment, relaxed border restrictions and sought to push Uzbekistan onto the world stage, though rights groups and critics say the country has strong authoritarian traits, with free speech and opposition quashed.Defensive strengthsThe historic qualification was made possible in part by the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.But it is also a sign of the country's increasing football pedigree.Ranked 50th in the FIFA rankings, the national team is now reaping the rewards of a decade-long government strategy to develop football through a focus on youth training.The country also has a huge potential talent pool to draw on, with roughly one-third of its 37-million inhabitants under 20.
