Fabio Cannavaro becomes head coach of Uzbekistan national team

Italian football legend, 2006 World Cup champion, and Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro has been officially appointed as the head coach of Uzbekistan’s national football team.

The 52-year-old former player and coach was introduced at a press conference held on October 6 at the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA), where he signed a contract to lead the national squad.

Cannavaro’s coaching career includes managing Guangzhou Evergrande in China, Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Italian clubs Benevento and Udinese, and Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb. His most notable achievement as a coach came in 2019, when he guided Guangzhou Evergrande to the Chinese Super League title.

As a player, Cannavaro captained Italy to victory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was named the world’s best footballer the same year, winning the Ballon d’Or.