Scoring your country’s first World Cup goal is a pretty good way to get noticed. Abbosbek Fayzullaev did exactly that for Uzbekistan against Colombia, and now Liverpool is paying very close attention.
The 22-year-old forward, who plays for Istanbul Basaksehir, has been tracked by Liverpool scouts throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s early-stage interest rather than a done deal, but the fact that one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs is watching tells you something about the trajectory Fayzullaev is on.
From CSKA Moscow to the World Cup spotlight
Fayzullaev’s journey to this moment has been anything but conventional. A former CSKA Moscow talent, he made the move to Basaksehir in 2025 for a record fee of £7 million.
Then came the World Cup. Uzbekistan qualified for the tournament for the first time in the nation’s history. Fayzullaev made sure the story got even better.
