Fabio Cannavaro to Stay on as Uzbekistan Manager for Asian Cup
Italian manager Fabio Cannavaro will remain in charge of the Uzbekistan national football team as they prepare for the upcoming Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
The confirmation follows speculation initiated by journalist Aleksandr Troitsky, who reported rumours that a different specialist would lead the team into the regional tournament. Troitsky later walked back the claims after receiving official denials regarding the Italian’s dismissal, noting that sacking Cannavaro at this stage would represent an administrative failure by the football association.
Despite a wave of negative public reactions online following recent performances, retaining the manager is viewed internally as the most sensible path forward.
«The decision to let Don Fabio finish his designated tenure — meaning the Asian Cup — looks entirely logical,» Troitsky said. «One way or another, he has introduced something to the team, and perhaps they will manage to prove themselves at the tournament.»
World Cup struggles and structural rebuild
Cannavaro assumed leadership of the national team in early October last year. Under his guidance, the Uzbek squad made their debut appearance at the recent World Cup, where they faced a challenging group consisting of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia and Portugal.
The tournament exposed a significant gap between the debutants and established global sides. Uzbekistan failed to advance past the group stage, finishing fourth in their group without securing a single point.
The strength of their group opponents became evident as the tournament progressed. Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo both advanced to the round of 16, falling to subsequent finalists or contenders. Meanwhile, Portugal reached the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Croatia. The upcoming Asian Cup tournament will serve as the definitive benchmark for whether Cannavaro can successfully recalibrate the squad.
