‘Almost men of Asian football’ – Uzbekistan’s rise to the World Cup

Manchester City signed Uzbekistan defender Abdukodyr Khusanov from Lens in January 2025 for £34m.

A relatively unknown 20-year-old at the time, Khusanov’s status in the City team and the Premier League meant he was already the face of Uzbekistani football.

But paving the way for Khusanov, now 21, was Servar Jeparov – the only Uzbek to be crowned Asian Footballer of the Year. He did this not once, but twice.

Recognized by his famous mullet, Dzeparov had a trial at Chelsea and was a part of the Uzbekistan team that was eliminated from the World Cup three times.

But now, there is a new hero in Khusanov and Bowers compares his influence in his home country to that of David Beckham in England in the early 2000s.

He said: “Khusanov’s rise from Minsk to Manchester has been incredible and his impact on Uzbek football is hard to measure given his age and experience.

“Uzbekistan players have played for big historic European clubs such as Roma and Dynamo Kyiv, but Khusanov’s move into the age of social media and the global reach of English football has seen Khusanov become, much like David Beckham was back in the early 2000s, who kids want to be and the face of the national team.

“It’s too early to gauge his impact on the kids’ game of football, but the longer he spends at a club like City, the bigger it will undoubtedly be.

“We’ve already seen players getting trials or joining prominent European teams, or expected to join very good level leagues in Belgium and Portugal soon, so the impact is probably already being felt.”

Uzbekistan forward Zhaloliddin Masharipov told the BBC World Service about Khusanov’s stardom in his country: “He is the first man in the Premier League in Uzbekistan.

“All the fans love him now but the fans love all the players here who play in the national team. Whenever you go out, go to a restaurant, people come to see pictures.

“You go to a restaurant, don’t pay. Respect, that’s how it is here.”