NATIONAL MODEL OF UZBEKISTAN FOOTBALL IN THE PERIOD OF INDEPENDENCE: ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Abstract

The development of football in Uzbekistan during the еars of independence is
analysed as one of the most important areas of the country’s sports sector, since the process of
breaking away from the Soviet system and forming new national structures began in 1991. The
reorganization of the Football Federation of Uzbekistan, its accession in 1994 to the Asian
Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA significantly strengthened the international activity of
Uzbek football, which led to such achievements of the national team as gold medals at the 1994
Asian Games and reaching the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2004, 2007 and 2011. In
terms of infrastructure development, the construction and reconstruction of stadiums – in
particular, Pakhtakor and Milliy stadiums – substantially improved the quality of training.
Increased attention to youth football, the popularization of tournaments at the mahalla level and
the improvement of the talent identification system were reflected in the U-23 team reaching the
final of the Asian Championship in 2018 and the U-17 team qualifying for the World Cup. At club
level, regular participation of teams such as Pakhtakor and Neftchi in the AFC Champions League
increased the competitiveness of the domestic Super League. Changes of coaches, attraction of
foreign specialists and intensification of scientific research noticeably improved tactical and
physical preparation. Problems include corruption, financial difficulties and regional disparities,
but they are gradually being resolved through ongoing reforms. Overall, during the еars of
independence, Uzbek football has moved from a mass sport to a professional level, significantly
raising the country’s social-cultural and diplomatic prestige and laying the foundation for
qualification to the FIFA World Cup in the future.