Mirziyoyev Urges Support for Uzbekistan Football Team After World Cup

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev addressed the performance of the national football team at the World Cup during a meeting with representatives of the country's younger generation. The head of state called on the public and fans to unite around the team and provide maximum support rather than searching for those to blame for the unsuccessful result.

The head of the republic emphasized that the debut participation in the world championship on the fields of the USA and Mexico brought the players colossal and important experience in competing against the giants of world football. Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the entire Uzbek people followed the matches of the national team with great excitement. According to the president, in games against the strongest opponents — the Portugal national team (fifth place in the FIFA rankings), the Colombia team (13th place in the rankings), as well as the Congo national team, which is staffed with players from leading European leagues — the domestic football players were able to feel the atmosphere and breath of the World Cup. Individually, the head of state highlighted Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Eldor Shomurodov, who scored their first goals at the World Cup and brought sincere joy to their compatriots.

Commenting on the various opinions and criticism voiced against the national team, Shavkat Mirziyoyev firmly stated that excessively emotional claims and accusations against the players who defended the honor of the motherland are foreign to the spirit of the Uzbek people. On the contrary, in the current situation, it is critically important to lift the moral spirit of the athletes.

The head of state expressed confidence that the main achievements of domestic football are still ahead. To realize this goal, Uzbekistan will continue to expand infrastructural capabilities and increase investments in the sports industry. In particular, it is planned to fundamentally strengthen attention to children's and youth football in order to turn this discipline into a mass nationwide movement. In addition, Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the immediate start of preparations for the AFC Asian Cup, which will take place in January 2027 in Saudi Arabia, expressing firm faith in the team.

It is reminded that in the past group stage of its debut World Cup, the national team of Uzbekistan took last place in Quartet K, losing all three matches played.