"If we lost 5-0, it's because I made mistakes." Cannavaro shields his Uzbekistan players after a Ronaldo masterclass.
"If we lost 5-0, it's because I made mistakes." Cannavaro shields his Uzbekistan players after a Ronaldo masterclass.
Portugal pulled away to a 5-0 win at NRG Stadium, a second straight Group K defeat for World Cup debutants Uzbekistan after their 3-1 loss to Colombia.
After the match, Fabio Cannavaro stood in front of the cameras in Houston and pointed the finger squarely at himself. Portugal dominated the match from the start, but the contest turned at 2-0, when a fine strike from Azizjon Ganiev was ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Cannavaro said the disallowed goal drained his players. "The goal that was disallowed really had an impact on our confidence," he told reporters. "It was a shame because we started playing just as we did against Colombia, we were playing boldly."
The Uzbekistan coach refused to let his players carry the result. "All my life I have taken responsibility, as a player and as a coach. If we lost 5-0, it is because today I made mistakes, and not them," he said.
He framed the defeat as part of a learning curve for a young side. "This is our first time at the World Cup. I told the players that they can misplace a pass and make mistakes. Because I must give them the confidence to try and improve."
Despite the scoreline, Cannavaro voiced pride in his team. "They tried everything, they tried their best, I am very proud," he said. "We have to keep believing until we mathematically cannot go through."
Uzbekistan, ranked 50th in the world, arrived in North America through a decade-long plan that followed heavy state investment in academies and infrastructure. The country has built dozens of stadiums and funded its domestic leagues. Junior results backed the project: the under-20 side won the 2023 AFC Under-20 Asian Cup, and the under-17s were crowned 2025 champions. That structure has not yet translated to senior results at the highest level.
Cannavaro kept the focus on the bigger picture. "I asked them to be more courageous, to play football and not to be afraid. If you have that mindset you can grow as a team and grow individually," he said. "We are here to gain experience even if we are to lose."
With two defeats from two, Cannavaro's team is left with slim chances to qualify for the knock-out stage, even if they beat the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday.
