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1 to 3. On June 18, 2018, Uzbekistan's World Cup debut was completely torn apart by Colombia's rapid counterattacks.
1-3. On June 18, 2026, Uzbekistan's World Cup debut was torn apart by Colombia's lightning-fast transitions, leaving them exposed.
Fabio Cannavaro stood on the sidelines, watching his carefully laid 3-4-2-1 formation get shredded by the opponent's counterattacks. His pre-match plan—to cede possession and rely on a solid defense and quick breaks—became a joke in the face of sheer speed. The 3-4-2-1 system inherently demands immense stamina from wing-backs, and once the ball was lost up front, the flanks had no time to drop back into position. Colombia's counters sliced straight through the half-spaces, forcing Khusanov to constantly shift wide to cover, which in turn tore apart the central defense. The idea was sound, but against such relentless, high-tempo transitions, there was no time to retreat and reorganize.
Rewind eight months, and the absurdity of this deal becomes clear. On October 6, 2025, the Uzbekistan Football Association officially announced Cannavaro's appointment. Before that, local head coach Kapanadze had just led the team to an unbeaten run of four matches in World Cup qualifying (2 wins, 2 draws), dragging the nation to its first-ever World Cup. The FA deemed him "inexperienced" and stripped him of the right to lead the team in the tournament. Cannavaro flew into Tashkent with a "1+4" contract. Kapanadze, the architect of the qualifying campaign, didn't leave; he was demoted to the assistant coach's seat, handing the tactical board to the Italian. Others planted the tree, the big-name coach reaped the shade.
The true cost of this deal remains unclear to outsiders. Rumors of a €1 million and €4 million annual salary circulate simultaneously. Either figure would be enough to fund a significant portion of the local youth academy. More critical is the contract structure: a one-year base contract with a four-year extension option tied to performance triggers. On the biggest stage—the World Cup—the FA locked itself into a one-year commitment. Even if the tactical plan was blown to pieces, the FA would still have to pay the buyout fee itself.
On the pitch, the fighters were Khusanov and captain Shomurodov—the fruits of a youth system that had toiled for years, grinding in midfield and plugging gaps in defense. On paper, Cannavaro certainly added to his résumé. With this debut, he joined the elite group of Ballon d'Or winners who have participated in the World Cup as both a player and a coach. The Uzbekistan FA's press releases were filled with praise, calling him "a participant in three World Cups, a 2006 World Cup champion, and one of the greatest defenders in modern football history."
The 1-3 scoreline, paired with Cannavaro's post-match rating of 5.5, laid bare the big-name coach's inability to manage a tough match. Faizullaev's scrappy goal from a rebound stood as one of the few real threats from Uzbekistan's attack.
As Faizullaev struggled to hold the ball up front with little support, Cannavaro could only stand on the sidelines, brow furrowed. No matter how ugly the tactical post-mortem would be, the first year's million-euro salary in his contract was already safely in his pocket.