Uzbekistan eyes Portuguese specialist Paulo Bento as new head coach

The search for a new head coach of the Uzbekistan national team has taken an intriguing turn, with Paulo Bento, who previously managed the national teams of South Korea and Portugal, emerging as one of the top candidates, Football-Asian reported.

“The Uzbekistan Football Association, in its quest to appoint a coach who will lead the team at its first-ever World Cup in 2026, failed in its approach to Joachim Löw, the 2014 World Cup winner. The German tactician rejected Tashkent’s serious offer. Turkey’s veteran coach Fatih Terim was also added to the list of candidates, but he has yet to be convinced. Now, attention has shifted to 56-year-old Portuguese Bento, who has experience both in club football and at the international level,” the outlet wrote.

Paulo Bento began his coaching career in 2005 at Sporting in his home country. Later, he managed Brazil’s Cruzeiro, Greece’s Olympiacos, and China’s Chongqing Lifan.

Between 2010 and 2014, he led the Portugal national team, taking them to the Euro 2012 semi-finals. He later guided South Korea to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, earning respect in Asia as well. In recent years, he worked with the UAE national team.

According to the report, the coming weeks could prove decisive for negotiations.

“Whether Bento accepts the call from Central Asia’s leading side remains unclear, but the very fact of his candidacy underscores Uzbekistan’s strong determination,” the publication noted.