Italian swimming champion took to the start line in a Shomurodov T-shirt and won the hearts of Uzbek fans

Italian swimming champion takes the start in a Shomurodov jersey and wins over Uzbek fans

Italian swimmer Alberto Razzetti appeared at the start of the Swimming World Cup leg in Tashkent wearing a jersey with the number 14 and the name of Uzbekistan national team captain Eldor Shomurodov. The unexpected act by the decorated athlete sparked a enthusiastic reaction in the stands. Razzetti himself finished fourth in the 200m individual medley event.

Razzetti is a world champion and a multiple medalist at the European Championships. Before the start, he put on the Uzbek footballer's jersey, delighting the local fans. Shomurodov is well known to Italian sports fans: the forward spent almost five years in the Italian championship, playing for Genoa, Roma, Spezia, and Cagliari.

The 31-year-old forward is the top scorer in the history of the Uzbekistan national team. Currently, he plays for the Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir. In the summer of 2026, Shomurodov also made Uzbek football history by scoring his national team's first-ever goal at the World Cup.

However, this time all eyes were on the pool. Razzetti covered the 200 meters individual medley in 1 minute 52.53 seconds, taking fourth place.

The winner was American Shaine Casas with a time of 1:51.81. Second place went to his compatriot Carson Foster, who finished 0.40 seconds behind the leader, while Canadian Finlay Knox finished third, 0.52 seconds behind.

And although the Italian failed to reach the podium, his appearance in the Shomurodov jersey became one of the most memorable moments of the competition in Tashkent.

The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) recognized Shomurodov's goal as the second most beautiful at the 2026 World Cup.