Akmal Shorahmedov reflects on career, criticism, and Uzbek football’s growth

Abdukodir Khusanov’s move to Manchester City has elevated the status of Uzbek football on a global level. Uzbek defenders are now catching the attention of the international football community. Players like Abbosbek Fayzullaev are also on the radar of Europe’s top clubs. Meanwhile, the Uzbekistan national team is showing positive results in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers and stands a strong chance of advancing to the World Cup. On these topics, QALAMPIR.UZ organized an interview with Akmal Shorahmedov, one of Uzbekistan’s renowned defenders.

During the interview, Akmal Shorahmedov reflected on his infamous goal against South Korea and the criticism that followed.

"For those within the football world, this is considered a routine occurrence. Why did that goal become such a big topic? The reason is that South Korea lost to Iran in their next match, and all the blame was shifted onto that goal. A player needs to overcome every situation, and I did so without confronting anyone," Shorahmedov explained.

Shorahmedov also discussed offers he received from foreign clubs during his career and why he chose to play exclusively for Uzbek clubs.

"Due to family reasons, and because I preferred playing in Uzbekistan. Especially for wing-backs, transfers are rare. Central defenders, midfielders, and forwards tend to grab scouts’ attention more quickly. Foreign clubs often utilize players developed through their academies as wing-backs. In short, the demand for wing-backs is nearly non-existent," said the former footballer.

In the conversation with QALAMPIR.UZ, Shorahmedov also touched upon the allocation of World Cup spots for Asian teams and the current competition dynamics in the region.

Watch the full interview on QALAMPIR.UZ’s YouTube channel!