The World Cup-winning Italy captain leading 'nation of fighters' Uzbekistan to long-term success

Fabio Cannavaro achieved his ultimate “dream” when he won the World Cup. The former Italy defender, who lifted the trophy as a player in 2006, is now ready for a very different challenge with Uzbekistan this summer.

Cannavaro leads the nation to their first ever World Cup on the back of a remarkable journey for the “White Wolves ” and their legendary coach. Former Real Madrid and Juventus star Cannavaro said: “The country’s passion for sport is enormous, not only for football but especially for combat sports such as boxing . Uzbekistan is often ranked first in the world .

“This means that the Uzbek people are fighters at heart—they never give up. In terms of character, they are, in fact we are, second to none.

“I’ll tell you what I always repeat to my players: for the first time you will play in a World Cup, you have nothing to lose. Approach every match with maximum calm, enjoy yourselves as much as possible, and if you feel anxiety, let it be positive anxiety.”

That spirit and determination has carried the Central Asian nation a long way and produced the likes of Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov who will be one of their best-known players this summer. But it is also about how they have built an incredible football structure with huge investment in their academy set-up with ties to major European clubs and world class coaching.

It has drawn praise from Arsene Wenger , FIFA’s Chief of Global Development, who has described the facilities as some of the best he has seen and he believes they are on a path to long term success. Cannavaro, whose own coaching journey has taken him around the globe from China to Udinese and Dynamo Zagreb, actually only took on the job last August after a visit to the country to play a Legends game.

There can be no doubt that his name and reputation carries a lot of weight and will give them extra hope as they are in a Group with Colombia , Portugal and the winners of a play-off path including Congo, Jamaica and New Caledonia. “The national team had just secured qualification for the first World Cup in its history, a result that made an entire country, an entire people, proud,” said Cannavaro.

“The federation was looking for a new head coach with international experience. I saw the facilities, visited the new sports center—beautiful and modern—and understood their desire to open up to the world and their need to keep growing.

“I was immediately impressed by the Academies: the meticulous work with young players was at the heart of their project, and now also of mine. Thanks to the young players, the team will continue to grow over time—that is a certainty.

“Many things impressed me, but the federation’s and its leadership’s desire to emerge was fundamental. I saw enthusiasm, ambition, and capability. To be honest, I immediately fell in love with the people and the project.

“The federation is investing heavily in the Academies—in terms of effort, ideas, and, of course, financially. In football, technical development is at a good stage, and we are working on the tactical side.

“The intensity of the league is not very high. This was one of the very first topics my staff and I discussed when we arrived. The intensity of play needs to increase—it’s essential in order to perform well beyond national borders.

“Otherwise, when the national team travels abroad to play, after 60 or 70 minutes we experience a clear drop in performance and, as a result, become vulnerable.”

Uzbekistan sit at 52 in the latest FIFA world rankings, a developing country with expanding talent and a population of 38 million which makes it the region’s most populated nation. Cannavaro’s much-travelled coaching career meant he embraced this challenge - but also knows the expectations are very high.

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“Since Marcello Lippi wanted me in China with him, I have worked in many countries across Asia and the Middle East,” he said.

"It has been a fundamental journey to understand football from different perspectives, not only the European one, which I had experienced solely as a player. I like to broaden my horizons—I don’t want to stick to the usual ideas and concepts.

"All of this has prepared me to be ready for the Uzbekistan bench, a stimulating experience at the highest level. The federation consults with me frequently and asks for my help in developing the entire football movement. That makes me particularly proud.”

But he also feels the enthusiasm. “Yes—sometimes even too much! I meet fans who ask me to win the World Cup… Uzbeks are everywhere in the world, and I know for certain that at the World Cup our supporters will play their part,” said Cannavaro.

They arrive largely unknown. Abbosbek Fayzullaev is a 22-year-old forward to watch. Captain Eldor Shomurodov is their record goalscorer. But Khusanov was the first to play in the Premier League .

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Cannavaro says Khusanov is an example to follow, a real leader and that is not the only thing special about him. “He is certainly one of the most representative players of the national team, a leader to follow despite being only 22 years old—a kind of compass pointing the way,” said Cannavaro.

“He is young, among other young players who are pushing hard to emerge. The talent is there; now it must be developed."

Cannavaro captained Italy to glory in 2006 when they overcame France in the final after a penalty shoot-out. The classy defender also made the team of the tournament and won 136 caps for his country.

He won two titles each with Real Madrid and Juventus, a UEFA Cup with Parma and is regarded as one of Italy’s greatest-ever players.

And yet after everything he achieved in the game, nothing compares to the “enormous” achievement of winning the World Cup although his latest chapter with Uzbekistan is clearly exciting him.

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Gennaro Gattuso's Italy side finished second to Norway in their group, resulting in a play-off path which includes a one-legged semi-final against Northern Ireland (26 March) before a potential final against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina (31 March).

Italy have failed to make it through the World Cup play-offs for the past two tournaments.well." Cannavaro added: “Winning a World Cup is the dream of every footballer, of every age and era. As the years go by, you appreciate that success even more.

“Since July 9, 2006—the day we won the final against France in Berlin—we, Italy’s World Champions, have been seen as legends.

“Even today in Italy that triumph is often cited as an example, amplified by the fact that Italian football is currently going through a significant crisis.

“Italy did not participate in the 2018 World Cup nor the 2022 one. And participation in the 2026 World Cup is not yet certain. There is a risk of throwing away our football culture, which for a long time the entire world envied.

“ Football gave me everything in terms of victories when I was a player. As a coach, it is giving me a great deal in terms of life experiences: I have learned languages, discovered different cultures, and it allows me to grow as a person.