𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

It’s not often in a pre-match press conference you hear a manager asked about the threat of an opposition central defender.

That’s exactly what happened before Uzbekistan’s friendly against Gabon in Tashkent. The threat? Abdukodir Khusanov.

However, while the Manchester City defender is by some distance Uzbekistan’s most famous player, he’s also clearly their best player, both in defence with his rapid pace, but also at starting attacks with pinpoint passes over the top.

In a country that admires and adores Cristiano Ronaldo more than any other footballer, Khusanov is Uzbekistan’s version of the Portuguese superstar. In fact, Khusanov has become the first ever globally renowned Uzbek footballer.

Uzbeks have known for some time about Khusanov’s brilliance and, after a ropey start, City fans are now acutely aware too. This summer, he will carry the weight of an expectant nation into their first World Cup.

On recent evidence, expect him to thrive.