World Cup winner Cannavaro of Italy will coach Uzbekistan in the 2026 tournament

Uzbekistan’s soccer organization announced on Monday that Italian Fabio Cannavaro will coach the Central Asian team as they get ready for their first World Cup next year.

Although Cannavaro captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup victory while playing for them, his coaching record is less certain.

His most recent position was with Dinamo Zagreb, however it ended in April after less than four months.

“The Uzbekistan Football Association has signed a contract with Fabio Cannavaro — a renowned specialist, one of the best defenders of his generation,” the announcement read.

Prior coaching positions have been held by the 52-year-old with teams in Italy, Saudi Arabia, and China. Additionally, he briefly served as China’s interim manager in 2019.

He will take over for Timur Kapadze, who was in charge when the Central Asian nation made its World Cup debut in June.