Uzbekistan will make its debut on the world’s biggest football stage at the 2026 World Cup. With Fabio Cannavaro – the 2006 Ballon d’Or winner and the only one among all 48 World Cup managers – the team has a coach of exceptional stature. The World Cup debut is already historic.

Manager Fabio Cannavaro has named three goalkeepers for the White Wolves: O'tkir Yusupov, Botirali Ergashev and Abduvohid Nematov. Uzbekistan is taking part in a World Cup for the very first time – one of four World Cup debutants in 2026 alongside Cape Verde, Jordan and Curaçao. Awaiting them in Group K are Portugal, Colombia and the DR Congo. The trio of goalkeepers comprises three players who have all come through the Central Asian league system – two of whom have international experience in Iran and Greece.

Yusupov is 35 years old and Cannabaro’s undisputed first choice. With 44 international caps since his debut in 2018, he is the most experienced goalkeeper in the entire Uzbekistan World Cup squad. His entire career has been spent in Central Asia: Mash'al Muborak, Nasaf, Neftchi Fergana, Kokand 1912, five years at Navbahor Namangan, until he moved to Foolad FC in Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League in July 2024 to gain international experience. He returned to Navbahor in January 2026. Yusupov was in goal for Uzbekistan at two AFC Asian Cup tournaments (2019 and 2023) and was the first-choice goalkeeper throughout the qualifying campaign. He embodies the foundation upon which Cannavaro is building this historic World Cup campaign.

Ergashev is 30 years old and stands at 192 cm tall, making him the most physically imposing goalkeeper of the trio. He came through the Pakhtakor academy in Tashkent before moving on to Navbahor, Neftchi Fergana, Dinamo Samarkand, Kokand 1912 and four seasons at AGMK to finally reach his current club, Neftchi Fergana, where he has been the first-choice goalkeeper since January 2024. He made his debut for the national team in May 2019 in a friendly against Iran. In recent years, he has always been included in the national team squads as a backup, without making regular appearances. With his physical presence and extensive experience in the domestic league, he is Cannabaro’s second choice.

Nematov is 25 years old and the most talked-about goalkeeper of the trio, not because of his role at the World Cup, but because of his potential. He has spent his entire career at Nasaf Qarshi, where he started in the youth academy and worked his way up to become the first-choice goalkeeper. On the international stage, he was voted the tournament’s best goalkeeper at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, when Uzbekistan finished as runners-up. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he started in goal for three matches. With a market value of €1.5 million, he is the most valuable player in the entire Uzbek Super League and, at the same time, the goalkeeper on whom the future of the national team rests. At the 2026 World Cup, he is currently the third-choice goalkeeper, but probably not for long.