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Road to World Cup 26 - Ep 16 - Uzbekistan
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Join your hosts Nick Britten Ken Davies as we take the deepest of deep dives into everything related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
All the news, analysis and comment from every team, every qualification process and of course the tournament itself. The biggest festival of soccer in the world.
This week we take a deep dive into newly qualified and World Cup debutants Ukbeskistan: who are they, who are the key players, who’s the manager and how are they going to get on? And crucially, in Kenny’s Quiz, what is the national animal of Uzbekistan?
Your weekly guide to the pinnacle of world soccer brought to you by Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome Back
00:00:07
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, bonjour, ciao, nihal, привет. ra Hola, g'day, and today, Salom. You are listening to Road to the World Cup 2026 podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to find regular soccer content on the top English Premier League teams, women's football, and of course, because you're listening to it, the World Cup 2026.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
twenty twenty six And it still remains the only World Cup podcast that's being broadcast regularly. So thank you very much indeed. for joining
Recap of Last Episode
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
us. I'm your host Nick Britton and I'm delighted, i am delighted to be joined this week again after he missed last week's episode.
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
i had to do it on my own and it wasn't much fun, I'm not going to lie. But he's back. The Beaver is back. It's Mr. Ken Davis. Hello Ken.
00:01:00
Ken Davies
How you doing? I dodged a bullet in the last two weeks, as we know. We won't go into any gory detail, but I dodged a bullet. um Though i yeah I
Uzbekistan's World Cup Debut
00:01:10
Ken Davies
did give me the opportunity to listen to you doing your solo podcast last week, and I thought, I've got to get back.
00:01:16
Ken Davies
I mean, that was the thing that actually pushed me back. I thought, I've got get back. I've just simply got to get well enough for the next episode. So here I am, and it is very, very good to be back.
00:01:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's very, very good to see. just for Just in case you're wondering, he wasn't getting shot at. He was just a bit unwell when he says he dodged a bullet. It wasn't a literal thing.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:01:37
Ken Davies
No, no, no, no, Nick.
00:01:38
Ken Davies
It was a
00:01:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
What, you went to McDonald's?
00:01:44
Ken Davies
LAUGHTER LAUGHTER
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So last week, folks, we took a bit of a a detour from our usual format in as much as we... Well, I, because Ken wasn't here, I just ran through and brought everybody up to date with qualifying. So if you haven't listened to last week's episode, ah please do, because it brings you up to date with all things qualifying. You have to listen to me on my own, unfortunately, but it's there if you want to if you want to ah get up to speed.
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
But today we're going to take a deep dive back into what we normally do, which is look at teams have qualified, because, of course, over the last... two weeks of qualifying, which finished last week.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Loads of teams qualified, a load more teams ah to talk about. And today we're going to go into the...
00:02:24
Ken Davies
It's almost as if we planned this, isn't it? It's almost as if we planned it, where we get this big tranche, and we get another tranche, then we get another tranche. It's working out well from that perspective.
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who would have th thought, Who would have thought?
00:02:37
Ken Davies
know.
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, anyway, we're going to have a look at the Minos in in a World Cup and indeed the debutants of the World Cup. They've never played there before, but they're going to be joining us in in USA, Mexico and Canada next year. And that is Uzbekistan.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
thank Okay,
Impact of Heat on Club World Cup
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay that's the Uzbekistan National Anthem. What do you think?
00:03:20
Ken Davies
that is that is root That is like going to chat GPT and saying, make me a national anthem. You know mean? It's got every element of what you want in a national anthem, but it doesn't quite work in the sense if it's got the Marshall kind of... de len It's got the big build-up with the drums that start to...
00:03:42
Ken Davies
da-da-da-da-da-da-da. You see, you know you march we're marching. We're marching together. ah But it never it just never never really grabs at the heartstrings. It got hasn't got that you know that kind of resonance for me. So that is that's not winning the National Anthem World Cup, I'm afraid.
00:04:00
Ken Davies
For me, anyway.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was, yeah, it was actually the, when they were part of the Soviet Union, yeah, when Uzbekistan was the Soviet Union, Soviets gave them their own national anthem.
00:04:10
Ken Davies
Oh, nice of them, yeah.
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when they gained independence in 1991, they just kept it. they wrote They rewrote the words, but they just kept the tune.
00:04:16
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
it has got that very kind of Soviet-y feel to it, hasn't it?
00:04:16
Ken Davies
Yeah. Very, very much. Yeah, it's ah it's a very Eastern... and it's It's kind of Cold cold War one, isn't it? Anyway, I'm sure they love it.
00:04:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:28
Ken Davies
I'm sure they love it in Tashkent. I'm sure they're dancing in the streets.
00:04:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sure they are right now when they're listening to this. Right, as always, we're going to go through a little bit of World Cup news, just to bring you to speed with a couple of things that have been going on ah this week in relation to the World Cup.
00:04:35
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:04:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ken will have a look at the history of Uzbekistan football. That won't take long. I don't think, although it to be fair, to be fair, they have done quite well.
00:04:48
Ken Davies
Thank you, Bob.
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
they've they've very They've very nearly got to World Cups in the past, so I'm sure he'll be touching on that. I'll have a look at five key players. We'll look at formation. Delighted to bring back Kenny's quiz this week. I did do it last week, but of course, Kenny wasn't here, so he didn't get any points last week.
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
He he failed, so no points on the board.
00:05:05
Ken Davies
Which is better than normal, to be honest.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we'll have a look at the manager and predictions, and we'll see where we think, after all of that, Uzbekistan are going to end up in the World Cup next year. How they going to get on?
00:05:17
Ken Davies
Let's go.
00:05:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before we start and do any of that, let's bring you up to speed with a bit of breaking news.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, let's just bring up speed with a couple of things that have been happening this week in relation to the World Cup. The big one is, of course, the fact that the Club World Cup is going on in America at the moment.
00:05:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
That, in my opinion, is of no interest to anybody other than the teams that follow the World Cup.
00:05:56
Ken Davies
certainly enough Certainly not the spectators.
00:05:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it's not the spectators. Nobody's interested. and The grounds are half empty. It's all being done for TV. The schedule is all being done for TV. And the TV audiences around the world are actually okay. But it's in terms of a competition, live football, it's a bit of a waste of time. But you know my feelings. If you've listened to any of these podcasts, you know my feelings about the the Club World Cup.
00:06:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the big news is that players and managers and supporters... are already complaining about having to turn out in the exceptionally hot temperatures. Now, this is, of course, a bit of a dress rehearsal for next year's World Cup.
00:06:31
Ken Davies
So,
00:06:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be played at the same sort of time. And the temperatures are absolutely soaring. So the road tests that are going on, the feedback from the players is not good. after Paris Saint-Germain's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in California, so that's in Pasadena in California,
00:06:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah the PSG coach, Luis Enrique, was very unhappy with it all. and He said the teams are suffering. He said impossible to perform at a high level for 90 minutes in this heat. and The Atletico midfielder, Marcos Lorente, said it's it's impossible. It's terribly hot.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
My toes are sore. My toenails are hurting. I couldn't stop and start. It's unbelievable.
00:07:14
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah PSG player, Vitinha, said I'm all red. It's really difficult. So let let's not forget that in Qatar 2022, and The World Cup was moved to the winter because of the heat.
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And by way of indication of what it's like out there at a moment, if you don't know, if you're not out in America, it's mid-90s. It's mid-90s Fahrenheit.
00:07:35
Ken Davies
yeah
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's 32 degrees cent centigrade. And if you look at the venues and the stadiums that are being used in the World Cup, of the 16 stadiums, only five have roofs. The rest are open air. They're they're totally open to the weather.
00:07:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no possible way of cooling people down. And at at those venues, seven of those venues in the coming week are expected to have even higher temperatures than they've got at the moment. So the temperatures are due to
Coaching Rumors: Gareth Southgate to Poland?
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
go up.
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really interesting, Ken. What are your thoughts on this?
00:08:05
Ken Davies
Well, my thoughts on this are threefold. Firstly, it's only going to get worse because actually the World Cup runs is a long World Cup and it runs right into the the height of summer.
00:08:21
Ken Davies
I think... It's also going to get worse because quite a few of the games going to be played in Mexico further the south, further closer to to to the equator. Temperatures are going to be excessive.
00:08:34
Ken Davies
I think, I mean, and clearly, that's going to have, not only is that going to have an effect on performances, it's going to have an effect on on health.
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:08:42
Ken Davies
And, you know, the authority is going to have to really, really careful about that. I think the problem is, the problem is we could end up with a very pedestrian World Cup where actually the style of play is governed not by you the skills or the or the ah positivity of the teams, but preserving energy.
00:09:09
Ken Davies
and And that could make quite a flat and kind of predictable and fairly slow-paced, ticky-tacky type of World Cup, which I think would be a great shame.
00:09:24
Ken Davies
The fourth thing, actually, I should mention, it probably just upped my expectation that Mexico were going to have a very good good World Cup. of any Of any team, I think you might be used to the conditions out there, they've probably got the best shout in terms of the top teams.
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:09:43
Ken Davies
if you've got teams like If you've got teams from South America and Southern Europe complaining about the inability to play in that heat, ah you know it's clearly a problem.
00:09:54
Ken Davies
So there's a whole host of issues. Difficult to see what they can do about it now. ah But I think you know we may have a lot of water breaks. And I just think from a spectacle perspective, from a footballing perspective, I think it's going to have a major impact in the way the games are going to get played, give me later in the particularly later in the in the competition.
00:10:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And particularly, yeah, yeah. Well, actually I was going to say the other thing, i was just particularly in the group stages, ah as everybody gets used to it and nobody wants to lose games.
00:10:21
Ken Davies
yeah
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
mean, group stages can be cagey anyway, as teams get used to it.
00:10:25
Ken Davies
yeah
00:10:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah it may It may help the minnows. I don't know. It may help the minnows. it's going to be a bit ah It's going to be a bit difficult. And I think you're right. As a spectacle, what you want is fast-paced, free-flowing, entertaining football.
00:10:40
Ken Davies
yeah
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
You don't want players just passing it around the back for 70 minutes and not to run around.
00:10:47
Ken Davies
No, i would would I would agree with that. And, you know, couple of teams playing 120 minutes in that, that's, I mean, you're going to get fallout from that, from a player fitness perspective, from a recovery perspective.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very much so. Yeah, yeah. And in the latter stage of the stadium, ah sorry, there the latter stage of the tournament, as you say, where they're having play games on a fairly regular basis, it's going to have to become, as far as the coaches are concerned, a real, another tactical thing they're going to have to add in big time They're going to have to really, really think about it very carefully.
00:11:16
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's that's really having a look at the...
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think
00:11:20
Ken Davies
Do you think that will increase the
Zencastr Promotion
00:11:21
Ken Davies
rotation of players then?
00:11:22
Ken Davies
Do you think there'll be kind of, do you think there's going to be there' going to be more substitutions purely based on the fact that people just can't last 90 minutes?
00:11:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's going to have to.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we'll see that. we're going i think we're going to have to see it And i think we're going to have to see managers rotating.
00:11:32
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:11:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're not going to be able to put out the same 11 game after game after game. Are they? They're going to have to rotate because players just won't be able to This is by the way.
00:11:41
Ken Davies
No. It's an interesting. It's going to get interesting.
00:11:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Players complaining after one game.
00:11:47
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Players complaining after one game. So what are they going to be like after four or five?
00:11:52
Ken Davies
It's going to be serious. It's going very, very interesting subject to watch, think.
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is. Other bit of news then before we move on is former England manager Gareth Southgate has reportedly offered to take on the Polish national team coaching role. Now, the Poland coach, Michael Probiet, stepped away from his role after a very well-publicised and high-profile interview.
00:12:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
fall out with the striker Robert Lewandowski of course Lewandowski is a god in Poland you don't you don't go against him there's only one winner in that competition so Poland are looking for a new manager and reportedly Gareth Southdate has been in touch to say I'm your man I'm your man for the job what do you reckon about that
00:12:31
Ken Davies
ah I'm not his greatest fan. I have to be honest. I find i find him in pedestrian. find him relatively negative. I don't find him a proactive coach.
00:12:42
Ken Davies
He hasn't really... Let's be absolutely brutal about it. Certainly at club level, he hasn't really done anything of particular note. Uh, he's kind of, he's kind of got a reputation of being an international manager and a pretty, and a decent one, probably a decent one with players. He was obviously a decent player himself, but I don't get, I don't get the sense he's, he, it really depends what Poland's ambitions are.
00:13:06
Ken Davies
Poland are a decent, ah you know, decent footballing nation. Um, i don't think so I don't think Southgate's going to propel them many to any great heights. So, you know, clearly he's a respected international manager.
00:13:20
Ken Davies
But to me, he's he's a he's kind of ah like a kind of manager which you will definitely keep things going. But I don't think he's going to do anything exceptional for you. So my my advice is you'd probably find better somewhere else,
Uzbekistan's Football History and Trivia
00:13:34
Ken Davies
Poland.
00:13:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
He took England to Euros final last year. took them to the final in 2020, the previous final against Italy, where they lost both. They lost once to Italy and once to Spain.
00:13:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah World Cup semi-final. he He elevated England to a level they hadn't been playing at for quite a long time. He was very, very highly thought of within the England camp for his ability to...
00:13:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
really ah blend the camp and and form and foster a culture within the camp where all the players really were pulling in the same direction, which has not been the case for England under previous managers.
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Certainly, there's been lots of lots of Reports and indeed not even reports because players have said themselves. Man United players didn't want to mix with Liverpool players in the past, etc, etc.
00:14:22
Ken Davies
Crazy, crazy.
00:14:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he and he he not only did that, but he brought back ah love of the English national team to the country because the country had just fallen out with English football. Supporters didn't want to watch them. The country as a whole didn't like really that watching England because they just failed and failed and failed time and time.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if you think back to that defeat to Iceland a few years ago, which was the Nadir, everybody was just pig sick of them. So Gareth Southgate took over. And so he did an awful lot of good in terms of bringing forward and bringing forward English football, bringing it to the next level.
00:14:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he also faced his critics for... not being able to then finish the job and win something. He faced his critics for coming up against managers who were supposedly far more tactically astute during games.
00:15:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that in-game management was something that he faced a lot of flack for.
00:15:09
Ken Davies
I think that's true.
00:15:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think you you may be being a bit harsh where when you when you when you say that he's respected, but I think it's maybe a bit better than that.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It'd be really interesting to see. I think you maybe touched on the the nobody issue here, Ken, which is what are Poland's ambitions? Poland's ambitions aren't going to be to win the World Cup. And then one of the problems with managing England is for no reason whatsoever, everybody expects you to win the World Cup. I don't know why England have only ever won it once. there's no expectation There's no reason for any expectation. But the expectations, as you well know, are incredibly high. If you are manager of England, you are expected to win something.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Poland is not like that. So maybe if Poland's expectations are to progress and get to quarterfinals and semifinals of competitions, which they don't do, in that kind of one level below England, if you like, ah he might be the perfect man for the job.
00:16:01
Ken Davies
Well, you've made it maybe you should go there, maybe you should be representing him. Maybe you should give him give him a ring like he's given the police FA a ring and say, do you need an agent?
00:16:12
Ken Davies
Because I reckon there's not many people in the country could have actually described the positivity of appointing Gareth Southgate quite as well as you just did. So well done, Nick.
00:16:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it's just a question of looking at both sides of the coin.
00:16:26
Ken Davies
Oh, I don't do that.
00:16:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's all it is.
00:16:28
Ken Davies
I tend to not do it. um
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I don't either, because if you'd asked me first before you came on, I would have said exactly what you said, because i don't think he's any good.
00:16:30
Ken Davies
Right.
00:16:35
Ken Davies
a
00:16:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah go Bring us an advert, Ken, and then we'll move on to some players.
00:16:40
Ken Davies
Yeah, as we know in football, got Southgate knows football.
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:47
Ken Davies
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00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
you well
00:17:01
Ken Davies
So with 4K, your video recording, easy AI, editing tools, top tier distribution, all in one place. If you've got that story to tell, tell it with Zencastr. You'll find it easy and check the show notes for more details.
00:17:15
Ken Davies
Nikolai.
00:17:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, we're going to have a look at some key players. I picked out, as i always do, five key players for Uzbekistan. i'm One of the joys of doing love
00:17:22
Ken Davies
Oh, we're not going to do the history this week, then?
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, okay, yeah. Yeah, we do.
00:17:28
Ken Davies
We probably should, really, shouldn't we?
00:17:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry, I've missed something. I missed something.
00:17:29
Ken Davies
Well, it isn't going to take isn's going to take long, except...
00:17:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
missed something.
00:17:34
Ken Davies
The birth of football in Uzbekistan goes back to 1912.
00:17:39
Ken Davies
That's nearly quarter past seven. No, 1912 AD.
00:17:44
Ken Davies
Obviously, they're from the ASC, the Asian Football Confederation. They are, in fact, the dominant force in the Central Asia region because...
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
missed something.
00:17:54
Ken Davies
The AFC has these kind of five sub-confederations, and the Central Asian one is very much dominated by Uzbekistan.
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes
00:18:01
Ken Davies
Now, i'm going ask you a question, Nick. I don't know if it's going on Kenny's quiz, but and this is Nicky's quiz. Excuse me.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can't just introduce new segments into the podcast. That's my job, introducing new segments.
00:18:13
Ken Davies
and but I came across this interest interesting little fact, and I thought, oh, Nick will be interested interested in that, because i know you're interested in in stuff like this.
00:18:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
and that You can't just introduce segments.
00:18:21
Ken Davies
Uzbekistan has got a unique geographical anomaly. There is something about Uzbekistan that no other country in the world shares.
00:18:35
Ken Davies
And I wonder what if you can work out what that might be.
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:18:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a geographical thing, is it?
00:18:46
Ken Davies
Yes, it is.
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because when I was researching this podcast, I came across the fact that Uzbekistan was double landlocked, which is highly unusual.
00:18:56
Ken Davies
That's it. That's it. It's not only quite unusual. It's completely unique. It's double landlocked. It means that not only are they landlocked, every country that they're landlocked to is itself landlocked.
00:19:11
Ken Davies
I mean, i if you like if you like a weekend at the seaside, don't move to Uzbekistan.
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Except when I researched this a little bit more, it turned out to be blatantly untrue.
00:19:26
Ken Davies
oh No way.
00:19:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
and said Yeah, it's blatantly untrue. And also, therere are because i I saw this fact and I thought that was really interesting. So I researched it a little bit more.
00:19:35
Ken Davies
What is.
00:19:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if you look at where Uzbekistan is, it's bordered with Kazakhstan.
00:19:43
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye And if I'm right in thinking, Kazakhstan is it on the Caspian Sea.
00:19:51
Ken Davies
Yeah, but that's not that's not a that's not sea.
00:19:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's also bordered with
00:19:53
Ken Davies
That's that's freshwater. So it's not considered landlocked.
00:19:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, okay, so it kind of well, yeah, well, in that case, right, well, in that case, technically, technically, in that case, it is, but it's not the only one.
00:20:00
Ken Davies
Kazakhstan is considered landlocked, it's just a big lake.
00:20:07
Ken Davies
So... Yeah, I do.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not the only one, because you look at, there are lots of countries in Europe. If you look at Slovakia, for example, they're bordered by, no, no, no, Liechtenstein, there is another one, because I looked, and I then started looking at maps.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know when you go down rabbit holes and you're researching stuff?
00:20:25
Ken Davies
yeah i do
00:20:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
This was a massive rabbit hole I went down. So I then looked i got up a map of the world and I looked at all the countries that um the this this could this could be the case for as well.
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So whilst I'm looking this, I'm pretty sure that Liechtenstein is also also double landlocked.
00:20:42
Ken Davies
It's double landlocked. No chance. No chance because it borders France. Anyway, we've got off the subject, but I'm going to crack on with this. So here we go. So. Hmm.
00:20:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
um that old sweet did tweet for Before you do, before you I got that right, by the way, just saying.
00:20:54
Ken Davies
so
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So can we just accept that I've got that question right?
00:21:00
Ken Davies
You did get that right. Yeah, did get big tick in the box. So 1912, it all kind of starts. But obviously, ah certain things were happening in that part of the world in and the 1910s and 20s and 30s.
00:21:16
Ken Davies
And it was part of the USSR until 1991. Now, they used to used to be a Uzbek national team, but they only played really within the the USSR.
00:21:27
Ken Davies
ah But obviously Uzbekistan players did play as part of the USSR teams. um It was only after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 that it became an independent nation. first match that they ever played was in 1992.
00:21:41
Ken Davies
ninety two Never qualified, obviously, for the World Cup until now. Now, ranking-wise... ah Climbing, climbing. 57th in the world over the last 20 years.
00:21:56
Ken Davies
They were as low as That was back in 1996. Highest is 45. ah So they they had a very rapid rise over 10 years. ah Up to 2006, they got up to 45. And they've always kind of hovered around the kind of 40 to 50 level.
00:22:11
Ken Davies
So the ranking, 57th is approaching the highest they've been. There's been this kind of general rise in ranking. And on the form side, during qualification for World 26, of which there, by the way, are the three separate stages in AFC competition, their records being played 16, won 10, drawn 5, lost 1, so very creditable.
00:22:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh.
00:22:39
Ken Davies
The one loss was to Qatar. in who were ranked 55th. ah They lost 3-2, but then when they had the home game in Tashkent, they beat them 3-0. That was pretty clear.
00:22:51
Ken Davies
Two very hard-fought draws in that time with Iran. Iran tend to be now the main rival ah in in relation to Uzbekki football.
00:23:02
Ken Davies
And Iran are ranked 18th.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think ah think a random think man Iran main rivals in pretty much everything at the moment, and everybody.
00:23:05
Ken Davies
Sorry?
00:23:11
Ken Davies
Yeah, that they they're certainly not making themselves overly popular. know um but so But they have these two hard-fought draws. Iran are ranked 18th. That's very creditable.
00:23:22
Ken Davies
um But they've got some... So, its again, it's one of those ones who's difficult to know exactly how good they are because of the standard of competition. But they've got some very interesting friendlies coming up against Argentina next. That'll be interesting.
00:23:34
Ken Davies
Hungary and Bulgaria, which I think is going to tell us a lot more about their potential strength. ah Because currently, we're just looking at results against purely AFC opposition. But, you know, dominant force in the region.
00:23:47
Ken Davies
Clearly know what they're doing. And they've qualified for a World Cup. So hats off to Uzbekistan. And I hope they have a fantastic time at their first World Cup in 2026. Nikolai.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland and Austria and therefore is the only other country in the world to be landlocked.
00:24:04
Ken Davies
Oh, here we go.
00:24:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:24:12
Ken Davies
Double-landlocked.
00:24:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, double landlocked, yeah. So there's two of them.
00:24:16
Ken Davies
Right. Well, there you go. Hey, imagine the li this time if Lichtenstein played Uzbekistan.
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think we'll it.
00:24:23
Ken Davies
mean, we've been talking about making up rivalries, haven't we, when we had New Caledonia against Scotland and things like that.
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
The double landlocked army, is that
00:24:30
Ken Davies
British Virgin Islands against the US Virgin Islands. Now we've got a completely new rivalry they don't even know about. Uzbekistan against Lichtenstein, the double landlocked. Obviously, it'd have to be played over two legs, wouldn't it? But it that would be yeah that would be worth watching, wouldn't
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like a whole new league. you can set up ah You could set up a world league of of double landlocked countries so and it would just be two of them and they just play each other every week.
Uzbek Players to Watch
00:24:55
Ken Davies
I'm really liking these these rivalries that don't exist but do now segment.
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
right was
00:25:00
Ken Davies
I think it's great.
00:25:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, whilst I was looking at that, did you mention, by the way, did you mention the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, which was steeped in controversy as far as...
00:25:07
Ken Davies
No.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
islam Right. Let me tell you about this because I know they've just reached their first World Cup. They very nearly and perhaps should have reached the 2006 World Cup. where their final qualifying game was against Bahrain.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And um in the first leg, which was at home, Uzbekistan were leading 1-0, when and they got a penalty, right? They got a penalty. And Djeporov scored the penalty.
00:25:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
The referee blew the whistle. Everybody thought he'd given the goal, and that was kind of the end of the game. And at 2-0 up, you're thinking, right, we've qualified. But actually, very controversially... ordered a retake and get, or didn't actually order the retake, it gave Bahrain a free kick for encouragement.
00:25:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there was a real hoo-ha about it.
00:25:49
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:25:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, a proper hoo-ha.
00:25:51
Ken Davies
Making the rules up as it goes along.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah they complained to FIFA and all that kind of stuff, and wanting wanting a three i win, complaining the referees but ah got it all wrong, blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:26:00
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Anyway, and the the whole the whole thing stood. They lost the yeah the second leg and went out, but they didn't qualify. But it was ah it's a moment that in Uzbekistanian football is is notorious. That's all I can say. Absolutely notorious.
00:26:15
Ken Davies
that That sounds very dodgy.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. Okay.
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
It does, doesn't it? Yeah, it does. You mentioned Bahrain in Uzbekistan.
00:26:23
Ken Davies
Oh, or Lichtenstein.
00:26:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't go down well. Yeah, Uzbekistan, yeah.
00:26:29
Ken Davies
They hate it.
00:26:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was going to cough there. um Yes, very much so. Five players, Ken. Five players watch out for at World
00:26:35
Ken Davies
Yep.
00:26:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cup 2026. If, of course, they're there because it's another year to go. But we're going to start with the goalkeeper. So the goalkeeper is...
00:26:46
Ken Davies
What do you mean if the oh you mean the player if the players are there? Yeah.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
If the players are there, yeah.
00:26:49
Ken Davies
Not if.
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because there's still another year to go and anything can happen, of course.
00:26:50
Ken Davies
No, no.
00:26:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Players can come, players can go.
00:26:52
Ken Davies
Gertrude?
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
If the World Cup happened right now, here the five players to watch out for. The goalkeeper, Utkir Yusupov, who plays in the Persian Golf Pro League, Club Fulad. He's 34 years old, so we hope he's going to be there.
00:27:08
Ken Davies
Been around? That's all right. That's all right for keeper, isn't it?
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's He's only been the first choice since 2023, which is unusual for a 34-year-old goalkeeper.
00:27:17
Ken Davies
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
but he is first choice now. He's got 39 caps and he seems very much ensconced in that position. In defence, we have Manchester City's Kusunov.
00:27:32
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:27:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was going to pronounce his first name there, but I've practised this for the last couple of days and I'm still struggling with it.
00:27:36
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:27:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:27:36
Ken Davies
Aboukadeer.
00:27:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:37
Ken Davies
Aboukadeer.
00:27:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Normally i wouldn't worry about these things, but I know that if I get even the slightest pronunciation wrong, you'd jump all over me. So I'm a bit worried.
00:27:44
Ken Davies
Yeah, ah but what's wrong with Aboukadeer? I mean, it's not... not the hardest, is he?
00:27:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, Abdukader Kusunov, whose rise to fame and in inter international football has been very, very rapid, by the way. ah He joined Manchester City in so in January, in the January transfer window. €40 million moved from RC Launce.
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hasn't really done that well. He had a shocker. I don't know if you remember this.
00:28:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
He had a shocker.
00:28:04
Ken Davies
Oh, I do.
00:28:05
Ken Davies
I do. I do. I do.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
He had an absolute mare.
00:28:07
Ken Davies
He was asleep, didn't he?
00:28:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but since then, it's a bit like you and me.
00:28:10
Ken Davies
This game was the first. This game was the first.
00:28:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a little bit like you and me just turning up to Stamford Bridge going, can I a game? We go, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're playing Man City in half an you fancy it? It was a little bit like that.
00:28:20
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:28:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, it did get better. it did get better, but he's lost his place in the Man City team now. He'll be there next season. at City next season, but he's got a bit of a job to ah to get his place back. Debuted in the main national team in 2023 after the Qatar World Cup. There's a bit of a theme on that in the young players coming through after Qatar.
00:28:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually, there's a bit of a theme about that generally in Uzbekistan football because they've invested very heavily in their youth setup over the last 10 years or so. And there was a very famous plane crash. You know this. There was a very famous plane crash which killed a lot of the Uzbekistan football players.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And After that, they've they've invested very heavily in their youth, and that's starting to bear fruit because a couple of the real superstars of the team are are very young players. And Kusinov is undoubtedly one of those. He's played 22 times since, so he's got his feet under the table, and he's a bit of a stalwart now in that Uzbekistan defence. So we'll definitely see him next year.
00:29:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely.
00:29:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, another point another young player of note who's making a lot of waves in the region is Abosbek Fezulev. get that right?
00:29:11
Ken Davies
good?
00:29:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
think I got that right.
00:29:23
Ken Davies
Fezuliev.
00:29:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fezuliev. Yeah, I've got that right. I'll give myself that one. He was a winger. He plays for CSK Moscow in the Russian Premier League. So a decent standard. 21 years old and he seems a real hope for the future.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as I say, one of the many stars who is emerging from the national youth system. Similar to Kusinov, he made his debut in 2023. Scored eight goals in 25 games. He is one to watch out for. He's a good player.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, is a good player. So... Looking forward to seeing him play. The superstar, if you like, the real stalwart of the team is Eldor Shomurudov, who is the captain, striker for Roma, plays in Syria and Italy. So again, plays at a high level. He's 29 years old, so he's very much in his prime.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Got an excellent scoring record, by the way.
00:30:12
Ken Davies
Yeah, you guys have seen that.
00:30:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
An excellent scoring record.
00:30:14
Ken Davies
One in two, isn't it, in international level?
00:30:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
42 goals in. Yeah, 42 goals in 81 games for Uzbekistan. So, well done. So, a lot of hopes will be resting on his shoulders next year. He's nicknamed the Uzbek Messi.
00:30:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everybody's got to have a such-and-such Messi or such-and-such Real. I don't know. ah somebody Who did we do a couple of weeks ago who had the the Asian Neymar? I mean, that's not really much of a compliment.
00:30:36
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Uzbek Messi certainly is.
00:30:38
Ken Davies
Who's the English Messi?
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:40
Ken Davies
Who's the English Messi? It's Jack Grealish, isn't it? Apart from, I mean, apart from it, isn't.
00:30:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
completely hope I want to know who the Argentinian Messi is. Who's the Argentinian Messi? He cites his game, Shemaradov, on the likes of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres.
00:30:50
Ken Davies
Good
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if you think back to the kind of strikers they were, they were big. They were kind of really up and in-your-face kind of strikers.
00:31:04
Ken Davies
Yeah, fast physical.
00:31:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, fast and physical. Absolutely, yeah. So so he's one to to watch out for. I look forward to seeing him play. And then finally, i mentioned to also to another striker who's kind of back up now is ah Igor Sergeyev.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sergeyev is a striker again, age 32, very, very experienced. 73 caps for Uzbekistan, 20 goals. That's not bad at all. he won't He won't play very often. He did come on in the 90th minute again in the in the game against... Who they play to qualify?
00:31:37
Ken Davies
Kachau.
00:31:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who did they beat 3-0 to qualify?
00:31:38
Ken Davies
Kachau. Kachau, wasn't
00:31:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Qatar. He did come on that game in the 90th minute and score. So, well done, Tim.
00:31:44
Ken Davies
it?
00:31:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he's there and thereabouts and will willll certainly feature in the World Cup, particularly if they're switching to swapping players because they, as we've talked about, that's Igor Sergeyev. And he plays in the Uzbekistan Super League at the club Pak Takor.
00:31:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So there are five players to watch out for next in the World Cup next year, Ken.
00:32:03
Ken Davies
There's one thing I want to pick up on that. I'm firstly, though, going to tell you about Bionique because Global Sports Podcast Network is partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements because your body's unique.
00:32:15
Ken Davies
My body last week, that was unique. Anyway, because without knowing what deficiencies you have, taking off-the-shelf supplements means...
00:32:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can have a tip.
00:32:23
Ken Davies
You're probably not getting enough of the nutrients you need. You're probably getting too much of the ones you don't need.
00:32:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:32:28
Ken Davies
So Bionique provides 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs, exactly the right levels, no guessing. So check the link in the show notes, use the code GSPN2025 and get your 40% discount and get some supplements that suit your individual diet.
00:32:49
Ken Davies
body. Now, just a quick question on players, Nick, that I thought would be an interesting, see if you've done your own homework. um The defensive midfielder for Uzbekistan, Mozgovoy, Mozgovoy, has got a uniqueness in the Uzbekistan team and indeed squad.
00:33:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
you want to that one again?
00:33:20
Ken Davies
He has something that no other player in the squad has. Or, another way of putting it, he lacks something that all the other the team members, all the other squad members has.
00:33:35
Ken Davies
So have a little think about that for 10 seconds.
00:33:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what's his name?
00:33:40
Ken Davies
Mozgovoy.
00:33:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
He hadn't come up on my radar when I was researching on this. So I'm going to say, so he's got, he hasn't got something that all the other players have. Okay. I'm going to go leg they're goingnna go legs.
00:33:51
Ken Davies
yeah
00:33:54
Ken Davies
He does have...
00:33:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:33:55
Ken Davies
I've never actually seen him, but but i'm I'm assuming because he played 90 minutes against Qatar and defensive midfielder, he does possess legs.
00:33:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
How do you know? Well, how do you know?
00:34:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, no. good yeah Is it going to be something, is it going to be something to say? I know. That was only a joke, by the way. didn't mean that. ah Is it going to be something like something do with his heart or something like that?
00:34:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because a lot of players now play with heart conditions and all of that. So he's got a pacemaker or something.
00:34:17
Ken Davies
No.
00:34:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah No.
00:34:18
Ken Davies
It's more simple than that. It's more simple than that.
00:34:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, go on. the
00:34:23
Ken Davies
He's the only squad member whose name doesn't end with v
00:34:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's such a boring answer.
00:34:32
Ken Davies
It's not.
00:34:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's such a boring answer.
00:34:33
Ken Davies
That's the kind of thing. My ADHD goes off the charts when I see that. I'm saying, hey, you've got Alukov, Anukov, Kashnikov, Nasrulaev.
00:34:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
like just
00:34:45
Ken Davies
I'm saying, I'm going to make V, V, V, V. Going all the way down, you think, oh, why? And then V, V, V, V.
00:34:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:34:54
Ken Davies
Every single member of that squad ends with V, except, annoyingly for me, Moscow for you,
00:35:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can you please just talk about the formations?
Uzbekistan Quiz and Coach Profile
00:35:08
Ken Davies
Well, it's good illustration of that point because, yeah, against Qatar, Timur... Interestingly, manager, Timur Kapadze, Georgian name, obviously he's from Georgia, originally from Georgia.
00:35:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'll i've got a great faculty i've got great I've got a great fact about him.
00:35:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's unique in terms of in terms of nothing else in terms of his playing squad. ah and what's What's very different about his name?
00:35:26
Ken Davies
no
00:35:37
Ken Davies
Kapadze.
00:35:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:39
Ken Davies
is is is because, well, it's engine in E.
00:35:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It ends in an E. None of the other players. Yeah. Extraordinary, isn't it?
00:35:45
Ken Davies
No, that is true. That's absolutely true because he's actually a Georgian descent. Anyway, so Kapata, generally a fairly defensive set-up against Qatar, which they won 3-0, so they won them in that defensive.
00:35:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:35:57
Ken Davies
It was a 4-2-3-1. 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-2-1 seems to be the go-to formations. Against Qatar, it was, as Nick said, Yusupov in goal, Alginov, Alkulov, Kusanov,
00:36:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
well
00:36:14
Ken Davies
Nazulaev across the back. Hamrobikov and, annoyingly, Moskanoj in defensive midfield. Then Turginboev, Fazulev and ma
00:36:32
Ken Davies
Masharipov in attacking midfield.
00:36:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Never, never, ever.
00:36:36
Ken Davies
And up front...
00:36:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Never take the mickey out of my pronunciation.
00:36:38
Ken Davies
Shomorgov. Shomorgov. So, you know, that's the set-up.
00:36:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:36:44
Ken Davies
everyone's Everyone with a V except Annoying Moscovoy, who's becoming's rapidly becoming my favourite player for Uzbekistan.
00:36:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's some great tactical analysis. Thank you very much. All players end with a V.
00:36:56
Ken Davies
Yeah. Thank you.
00:36:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what, you should pay for this content.
00:37:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's an amazing analysis from Ken.
00:37:02
Ken Davies
yeah
00:37:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
What can you say about them? Well, one of their players doesn't end in a V is second name. So...
00:37:05
Ken Davies
thank you
00:37:09
Ken Davies
ah Now, and what have we learned?
00:37:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:37:11
Ken Davies
Nick, what have we learned? They're primarily set up in a fairly defensive mode. They're either 4-2-3-1 or the 3-4-2-1. So said that that they are packing the defensive midfield and the defence.
00:37:22
Ken Davies
So I think they're looking they're a team that kind of breaks on teams
00:37:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going
00:37:27
Ken Davies
and and and is very particular about what your last letter is of your name.
00:37:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm just going to let you keep going on this. just to keep going.
00:37:37
Ken Davies
ah move on
00:37:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Merciful. Merciful. It's time. Kenny's quiz. Yeah. um Let's move on. I've never been so glad to get Kenny's quiz underway. of Right. a couple of questions for you this weekend. No points last week, sadly. So you missed out. So you dropped back down the table.
00:38:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is the first question is this. What is the national animal of Uzbekistan? Play long at home here, people, whilst Ken is thinking about this. In fact, he's got his head in his hands. He's got his proper head in his hands here.
00:38:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm to play the music again. Play long at
00:38:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
home. What is the national and um animal of his beckon star?
00:38:28
Ken Davies
okay
00:38:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
you reckon, Nick?
00:38:29
Ken Davies
can only be one of two things, really, can't it, I reckon?
00:38:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you reckon?
00:38:32
Ken Davies
No, I reckon it could be... No. It could be only one of two things. It's going to be either... Three things. it's It's either going to be an eagle... because they love their eagles over there.
00:38:45
Ken Davies
They love their kind of, and their hawks and stuff like that. Yeah, this is all part of the old Silk Road, isn't it? and And it's going to be something that kind of would have been to like that. So it's going to be a hawk or an eagle.
00:38:56
Ken Davies
It could be a camel. I imagine there's more than one camel there. I imagine they get quite attached to the camels.
00:39:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you want
00:39:04
Ken Davies
ah And thirdly, I'm thinking it could be a little, like a little gerbil or a squirrel or something like, you know, a little gerbil, you know, the ones with the long tails of a scurry around.
00:39:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
a clue? Do you want a clue? It's none of those. In fact...
00:39:14
Ken Davies
It could be something like that. But that doesn't sound like exciting you enough to have your, to be a, could be a wolf.
00:39:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
julia yeah you a clue john cle none of those
00:39:29
Ken Davies
Then I'm going to go, I'm going to go,
00:39:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
fact yeah This is a really hard answer.
00:39:34
Ken Davies
Oh, great then. Then I'm going to cook to the chase.
00:39:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:39:36
Ken Davies
I'm going to say the national animal of Uzbekistan is the lizard.
00:39:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not bad, mate. Not bad. You're very, very close. you're You're super close. You're so close that I'm almost considering giving you half a point for this. Shout the answer. You're not really. ah Shout the answer out at home if you know this.
00:39:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
The national animal of Uzbekistan is the Turkistan sand cat.
00:40:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah but I put that in.
00:40:13
Ken Davies
and what words' Words fail me, Nick, to be honest.
00:40:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know.
00:40:16
Ken Davies
Words fail me. I mean, what the what were the chances of me getting that unless I was one Uzbeki or, secondly, actually a Sandcat?
00:40:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Well, mate, I don't know. you see You always tell me you're the closest person.
00:40:27
Ken Davies
I mean, let me say it's a school day. i know i know it now, but...
00:40:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, well, look, there you It's all about learning, mate. that's so It's not about you these things right. it's about learning the answers. And now if anybody ever asks.
00:40:37
Ken Davies
Just as well, it isn't about me getting them right, isn't it really?
00:40:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah that's Yeah, that's true. I've made but ah but i made that one quite hard, but I very deliberately made the second one much easier. Okay, so I expect you to get this right.
00:40:45
Ken Davies
Right.
00:40:48
Ken Davies
Right.
00:40:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is the main export of the country of Uzbekistan?
00:40:49
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:40:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, don't put your head in your hands here, mate. Come on.
00:40:54
Ken Davies
What's the main exporter of Uzbekistan?
00:40:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everybody should know.
00:40:57
Ken Davies
a Uzbekistan, what's going to be famous?
00:40:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wait a minute.
00:41:00
Ken Davies
Well, would imagine.
00:41:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't believe can't believe it. I'm going to give you a mask. No, no, no.
00:41:09
Ken Davies
ah Okay, okay. I'm going to go for it.
00:41:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going give you mask. No, no, don't go for it until give you mask.
00:41:13
Ken Davies
Don't give me any clues. I think I know what it is.
00:41:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, okay. Go
00:41:16
Ken Davies
Are we talking in monetary value or are we talking in volume?
00:41:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
on I would probably, give given fact I know the answer, I'd probably say volume.
00:41:27
Ken Davies
Oh, then I've just changed it.
00:41:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although I don't know. It might be both. Of course, if you sell more of something, it's more of a value.
00:41:31
Ken Davies
a I would say then Uzbekistan main, well, oil.
00:41:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, ah but I'm going to give you another go and i'm going to give you a clue. You mentioned a little bit earlier on the Silk Road, which everybody knows what the Silk is.
00:41:46
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:41:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the main trade route between East and West.
00:41:49
Ken Davies
yeah Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So think around what might be, and Silk kind of gives you a clue. it's not Silk, but it kind of gives you a clue. What is the main export that will be transported around and out of Uzbekistan? What do they make most of?
00:42:06
Ken Davies
Carpet.
00:42:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, well, no. what this this At least you got the first ah first ah letter of the answer correct.
00:42:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
The answer is cotton. And I thought you would have known that.
00:42:25
Ken Davies
Well, I kind of, I sure do, because I...
00:42:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
No?
00:42:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
that area that region That region is a massive cotton exporter.
00:42:32
Ken Davies
Really?
00:42:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Think of all the clothes that we wear. They're all sort of made in that region. Not necessarily in Uzbekistan, but around kind of Bangladesh, India, and all that kind of area.
00:42:42
Ken Davies
Yeah, that does what makes to me it make sense. I wouldn't consider that the easiest question you've ever thrown at me. ah
00:42:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it's not. Easier than Turkish sand cat.
00:42:52
Ken Davies
Yeah, well, it was easier than that because no one's even getting that with the million-dollar question on who wants to be a millionaire. that that would That would be the actual deciding question on who wants to be a trillionaire after you've gone through nine million questions.
00:43:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but just imagine.
00:43:07
Ken Davies
ah But, okay, that's good.
00:43:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
um the one why One of great values of listening this podcast, right?
00:43:10
Ken Davies
That's good. That's
00:43:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Imagine imagine this. any You can, or indeed anybody listening today, Imagine in a couple of years' time, you you actually get on a game show and it's called Who Wants to Be a Trillionaire? And you get through and you get through and you get through it and it.
00:43:22
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:43:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you go, oh God, it's harder and harder and harder. You get to the trillion pound question, go, oh, there's no possible chance of me getting this right. there's no possible chance. And the question is, what is the national animal of Uzbekistan?
00:43:31
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:43:35
Ken Davies
Yeah, and I'd say Cotton.
00:43:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
If ever that happens...
00:43:36
Ken Davies
I'd say Cotton. ah Anyway, there you go Move on. It's dreadful, dreadful performance. I'm going to get relegated.
00:43:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have a round of applause for that one. ah Yeah, but imagine that was cast. If, by the way, listeners out there in the world, right across the world, if this ever happens to you and you get you get to the final round of a games quiz and and and you ah you win loads of money ah because the final question is, what's the national animal animal of Uzbekistan? And it's written on the basis that you won't get it.
00:44:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you get the answer right because you've heard it here. Please get in touch and buy us a drink.
00:44:11
Ken Davies
Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
That would be very nice.
00:44:14
Ken Davies
Find the podcast.
00:44:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That would be nice. Right. ah Final bit, then, before we move on to our predictions, is a look at Timur Kaladze, who is the coach of Uzbekistan. He's known as kind of Mr. Uzbekistan when it comes to football because he's been involved with the set-up for years.
00:44:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
He played 119 times for the country as a player.
00:44:36
Ken Davies
He did. Legend.
00:44:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
He led the... and He is a legend, yeah. Legend is a phrase that is overused, but not here. He led the under-23 team at last year's Olympic Games and was then appointed full-time coach after Katanec, who was the previous coach, left because of illness.
00:44:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was only January time. So... Here we are. Ten years after he earned his final cap as a player, he was he was coaching them to success, to qualifying in the World Cup.
00:45:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Finally getting that qualification monkey off their backs after two very previous close run things. He was actually... i you know I mentioned the the game earlier on around Bahrain and the controversy around Bahrain?
00:45:19
Ken Davies
Oh, yeah.
00:45:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He played in that game.
00:45:20
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:45:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He played in that game.
00:45:22
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:45:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
He featured in it.
00:45:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So all of that... but Well, I reckon i reckon that... And there was a sense of this when I was researching this podcast, the sense of relief that they finally qualified. And in fact, Kaladzi is part of that. So he was a player in that game because it is something they've taken to their heart, that game.
00:45:24
Ken Davies
I bet he's still sore about it.
00:45:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's now the coach that's led them to the first World Cup finals. There's a bit of synergy. There's a bit yin and yang going on in there.
00:45:47
Ken Davies
Yeah, good for him.
Predictions for Uzbekistan at World Cup 2026
00:45:48
Ken Davies
And congratulations. Hope that's exercised a few demons.
00:45:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. um So he's coached, anyway, look, he's coached he's coached through the through the levels. He's led the Under-23s to the Asian final in twenty twenty two twenty twenty four ah which got them to the Olympics. And he's got a lot of good pedigree, I think, both as a player and as a manager.
00:46:08
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:46:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's quite conservative. We've touched on that already, haven't we? So I won't go through that again. He's quite conservative. He's quite pragmatic. He plays a fairly defensive setup. And I think he's going to need to in the World Cup because he's going to come up against teams, much better teams than he's playing there.
00:46:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And in the heat, maybe they'll so they might they might you know do better than perhaps. They might have done otherwise. and So in the under 20s, in the 23s and the 17s and the 20s, all these teams and in in through the national level, these coaches, he's done really well at.
00:46:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think there's ah there's a hope that they've got the right man in charge because he's done it at youth level, if you like. he's played for the national team, he understands the culture of the country, understands the culture of the national team.
00:46:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, and he's got, he probably understands the limitations of his squad as well, which is why he plays the way he does.
00:46:55
Ken Davies
Oh. Hmm.
00:46:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Well done to him. I'm really pleased. I like it when people like this get to manage their national teams and lead them into World Cups. People who are steeped in history. I think for this kind of country, I mean, New York Sun aren't going to win the World Cup, let's face it.
00:47:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they're not looking for a Thomas Tugent-style coach. they're not going to go down a road to England, have gone down, for example, by saying, right, but let's just let's just get somebody who can win this thing and get us over the line rather than somebody who's ingrained in the culture and all of that, e cetera et cetera, cetera.
00:47:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... I'm pleased for Caladze. I'm really pleased that he's got got over the line to take them to the World Cup and and the very best very best of luck to him. Very best of luck to him because he is an absolutely national legend.
00:47:34
Ken Davies
yeah
00:47:38
Ken Davies
Fantastic. Yeah. And and yeah he's doing it the hard way. I mean, and they've tried before they've failed. Was
00:47:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll press that button by mistake.
00:47:49
Ken Davies
that a bonus?
00:47:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:47:50
Ken Davies
I thought I was going to get another question. um So what's your predictions then? So where do we think they're going to finish the tournament?
00:47:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, my prediction is that that they'll get a point. I think they'll get a 0-0 draw somewhere along the line in one of their three qualifying games. And that's the best they're going to do. So don't see i don't think they're going get out of their groups, out of the group stages.
00:48:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But i do think I don't think they're going to all three games. I do expect them to get a point. And that's that's as far as going to go.
00:48:17
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:48:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, well, it's a massive, massive, massive congratulations to everybody involved in Uzbekistan football for getting to the World Cup. It's really, really good news.
Episode Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser
00:48:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Once you're there, it's going to be a mighty tough ask. So, I don't think it's going to be group stages. Ken?
00:48:33
Ken Davies
Yeah, pretty much the same. i think actually the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams is specifically in order that teams like Uzbekistan ah could qualify.
00:48:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. No.
00:48:44
Ken Davies
I mean, let's be honest, if it's still a 32-team tournament, I don't have think Uzbekistan would be qualifying again. so So, I mean, they are they are there as part of that transitional phase, if you like.
00:48:56
Ken Davies
So, yeah, they're going to be an interesting team to watch. I'm going to be look forward to seeing them. ah But I think you're right. I just i just cannot see them when they come up against some pretty tough opposition.
00:49:07
Ken Davies
I think they're going to get opened up a little bit too easily.
00:49:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm doing.
00:49:10
Ken Davies
So, yeah, I've got them eliminated in the group stages as well. So I think we're on the same page on that one.
00:49:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are. We are. So well done anyway. Well done. Thanks for coming, lads. you later. Next week, folks, we are we're bouncing into a potential World Cup winner.
00:49:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yes, we are. very excited about this, Ken. We're bouncing into a potential World Cup winner because next week we're going to focus on recent qualifiers, Brazil.
00:49:38
Ken Davies
Brazil.
00:49:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
How good is that going to be, by the way?
00:49:41
Ken Davies
um um um I'm looking forward to it i'm looking forward to the whole process.
00:49:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
hope
00:49:45
Ken Davies
If we manage to get 49 minutes out of Uzbekistan, ah we are we're we're we're probably going to be here all afternoon.
00:49:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, one thing, because we were running a short time, the one thing I didn't do, we we had ah a letter in. i always say we have a letter in because i like I like the force of somebody actually sending a letter. We didn't.
00:49:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
We had an email in ah from ah James, who lives in Boston, who had asked us around the whole idea. We may maybe have a look at this next week, mate. He asked us around the whole idea of expanding the World Cup.
00:49:59
Ken Davies
Yeah, it's I'm good.
00:50:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And is there any point in having teams like Uzbekistan, like Jordan, like these minnows who wouldn't get there in the previous competitions before is expanded? Is there any point in having them there?
00:50:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was his question to us. So i think I think maybe we should have a look at that next week and answer.
00:50:29
Ken Davies
Actually, we'll answer it next week, but actually it does play into the the story we went with at the top of the show, which was you how does that play into the conditions?
00:50:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Awesome.
00:50:39
Ken Davies
ah We're playing a lot more games. we're playing ah We're playing it over a much longer period.
00:50:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:50:44
Ken Davies
And I'm sure those kind of factors would not have been thought of in relation to the expansion idea.
00:50:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:50:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, possibly so. So we'll have a look at that. Thanks, James, for that question. If you want to get in touch with us, do email us in roadtoworldcup26 at gmail.com or get us through Instagram, which is at roadtoworldcup26.
00:51:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you for your ah email or your letter, should I say. I'm going to Boston in a couple of weeks' time. I might meet up with James for a pint. i'll be in I'll be in Boston at the start
00:51:13
Ken Davies
Hey, that'd be nice. See if you can question out of him. But that's, ah yeah, well, enjoy it. I know you are. And to short, your lad's going to play out football in America. And good luck to him.
00:51:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
of August. Yeah, yeah. College soccer. Sorry, college soccer.
00:51:25
Ken Davies
Yeah, it's like that's but fantastic.
00:51:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
and More about that. I'm going to be talking more about that as we go along. um So, well, that's Uzbekistan wrapped up, Ken.
00:51:29
Ken Davies
Brilliant.
00:51:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
We did a good a good deep dive into Uzbekistan there. I think anybody listening to this, you all will know far more about it than you ever would have known otherwise. And more importantly, you've got the answer to the trillion pound question.
00:51:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you for joining us. Thank you for listening. Come back next week when we'll be talking about Brazil. But until then, look after yourselves, look after each other. Goodbye.
00:51:46
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:51:55
Ken Davies
good