Shomurodov takes second place in World Cup Goal of the Tournament vote
Uzbekistan national team captain Eldor Shomurodov has secured second place for the Hyundai Goal of the Tournament at the 2026 World Cup following a global public vote.
The 31-year-old striker earned widespread praise for his audacious finish against the Democratic Republic of Congo during the group stage. While Cape Verde defender Sidny Lopes Cabral ultimately won the top prize, Shomurodov finished firmly as the runner-up. Haiti forward Wilson Isidor secured third place in the final standings.
The recognition serves as a significant individual achievement for Shomurodov who notably outperformed several global football icons in the earlier voting rounds. His delicate lob generated more ballots than nominated strikes from major stars including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.
A delicate finish on the global stage
Shomurodov’s celebrated moment arrived in the 10th minute of Uzbekistan’s final Group K fixture against DR Congo in Atlanta. Racing onto a cross inside the penalty area he executed a perfect chip over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi from a remarkably tight angle to give his squad an early lead.
FIFA previously described the strike as being calculated to the last centimetre and executed to perfection, calling it the defining moment of the Central Asian side’s debut at the tournament.
Before the competition began Shomurodov stated his ambition was to shatter international perceptions about Uzbek football. Claiming a podium spot for the best goal of the tournament fulfills that ambition on an individual level despite a tough overall run for his team.
Fayzullaev and a historic maiden campaign
The second-place finish provides a rare highlight from a difficult World Cup debut for Uzbekistan. The national squad suffered a frustrating early exit after losing all three group matches against Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo.
Across their entire maiden global campaign the struggling side only managed to produce two goals. While Shomurodov provided the final strike in their 3-1 defeat to DR Congo, the nation’s historic first-ever World Cup goal belonged to midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
During the team’s opening match against Colombia at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Fayzullaev capitalised on a rebounded shot from Shomurodov to head the ball into an empty net. The 60th-minute equaliser temporarily levelled the match before Colombia pulled away for a 3-1 victory. Together these two strikes remain the only World Cup goals in Uzbekistan’s history.
