Uzbekistan - Argentina match was canceled because of Messi - Cannavaro
The head coach of the Uzbekistan national team, Fabio Cannavaro, and team captain Eldor Shomurodov took part in a press conference organized ahead of the friendly match against Iran. The match will be held on September 24 at the "Istiqlol" stadium in Fergana.
Uzbekistan - Argentina match cancelled because of Messi - Cannavaro
Cannavaro noted that the match against Iran will be a serious test for the Uzbekistan national team.
"After the World Cup, we will play in a friendly match against a well-formed team. Personally, I asked the UFA leadership that we need to play against one of the top teams. There is no need to over-describe Iran. It is one of the best teams in Asia, with experienced players in its squad," Cannavaro said.
The Italian specialist confirmed that there were negotiations regarding Uzbekistan holding a friendly match with the Argentina national team.
"Indeed, we held negotiations with the Argentina national team. But three weeks before the match, the Argentine Football Association declined this match due to Messi's farewell. True, the Syrian national team is not as strong as Argentina. We looked for a top team like Argentina, but we could not find the opportunity," the coach said.
Cannavaro said that players who participated in the World Cup but were left out of the current training camp could return to the national team.
"The doors of the national team are open to everyone. After the World Cup, some players got injured. Some could not find a team, some experienced a decline. But we know everyone's capabilities well. We decided to give others an opportunity in this training camp," he said.
Cannavaro also expressed his opinion about Bunyodkor's 16-year-old player Muhammad Hakimov, who was called up to the national team.
"I saw Hakimov before the World Cup. Despite being young, he is not afraid and has a strong character. In our national team, there is no concept of young or old. In the upcoming matches, we will give him the opportunity to play for a certain amount of time as well. If a young player has potential and talent, we will definitely involve him in training camps. We will also give opportunities to older players," the coach said.