“We cheer because we love Uzbekistan.” How the fan club supported the national team at the World Cup

The FIFA World Cup became a stage for fervent support as Uzbekistan's official fan club traveled to the United States and Mexico. For the first time in the nation's history, the national team competed, facing formidable opponents like Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo in the group stage. Thousands of Uzbekistani supporters cheered from the stands, with the official fan club playing a prominent role in galvanizing the team.

During the match against Colombia at the Azteca Stadium, fans entered the arena chanting references to historical Central Asian dynasties, such as "The Timurids have arrived! The Baburids have arrived!" This display of cultural pride coincided with Abbosbek Fayzullayev scoring Uzbekistan's first-ever goal in World Cup history. Head of the fan club, Nodirjon Tuychiyev, recalled that despite warnings of potential clashes with Colombian supporters, the atmosphere remained friendly, with fans exchanging jerseys and gifts.

Tuychiyev described the fan club's dedication: "There were only 150 of us in a stadium that holds more than 80,000 spectators. But we did everything we could to support the team and show our players they were not alone. We were not afraid of anyone and cheered for the team for all 90 minutes without stopping." Their efforts aimed to convey the support of "38 million supporters" back home, even though only a select few could attend in person. Coca-Cola also collected messages of support from across the country to bolster the team's morale.

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There were only 150 of us in a stadium that holds more than 80,000 spectators. But we did everything we could to support the team and show our players they were not alone. We were not afraid of anyone and cheered for the team for all 90 minutes without stopping.