'Nearly men of Asian football' - Uzbekistan's rise to the World Cup

'Nearly men of Asian football' - Uzbekistan's rise to the World CupImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Uzbekistan qualified for their first World Cup with a goalless draw against the UAEByCharlotte CoatesBBC Sport journalistPublished2 minutes agoFor the first time in World Cup history, Central Asia will have representation after Uzbekistan created history on 5 June 2025.A 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates triggered wild scenes in Tashkent and beyond as Uzbekistan's participation in the 2026 World Cup was confirmed.The White Wolves are not a traditional footballing powerhouse, but qualifying for the World Cup has been a long time coming, with numerous heartbreaks along the way making their 2026 journey all the more special. The nation had earned the tag of Asian football's "nearly men", having narrowly missed out on three World Cups this century, but the slate can be wiped clean as Uzbekistan embark on a new journey this summer.Before their Group K opener against Colombia, Uzbekistan football expert Conor Bowers told BBC Sport that, for the country, qualification is as "significant as winning it would be for nations like England".Bowers said: "Uzbekistan have historically always been the nearly men of Asian football, having missed out on previous tournaments due to poor refereeing decisions in 2006 World Cup qualifying and utter self-sabotage before the 2022 World Cup."The success of qualification has already begun to create noticeable results domestically, with new football clubs being created, previously defunct clubs re-emerging and the number of professional clubs in the country increasing by 36% from the years 2025 to 2026 alone."Drawn in a group alongside Portugal, Colombia and fellow debutants DR Congo, expectations around what Uzbekistan can produce in the World Cup have understandably risen.But Bowers said: "Qualification was the goal. Anything more than that will be seen as an additi...