“The celebration is over — now it's time to prepare for the World Cup” – Ermatov urges U-17 not to repeat their seniors’ mistakes

The Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) hosted a meeting with the national U-17 team — winners of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup — and their parents.

At the event, UFA First Vice President Ravshan Ermatov congratulated the players and their families, stating that the victory brought joy to the entire football community in Uzbekistan.

Despite the historic and impressive achievement, Ermatov stressed the importance of shifting full focus to the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in November 2025. He warned against the dangers of becoming complacent after success and losing the winning spirit.

“The whole world saw how patient, courageous, and resilient our children are — how they conduct themselves with discipline even in the most difficult situations and fight to the end for their goals. This is something we should be proud of.

“Football is a sport where if we dwell too long on a good result, it becomes harder to achieve even better ones afterward.

“Yesterday we celebrated. But starting today, preparation for the World Cup must begin. If we continue celebrating, we’ll fall behind in training and risk performing poorly at the World Cup.

“Celebration is fine, let our parents celebrate. But as players, we don’t have time for parties or banquets. That’s not what professional athletes do. To achieve something great, you have to sacrifice something,” Ermatov said.

He recalled past experiences when players lost focus after initial success and let fame distract them.

“Some players once received cars for their performance at the World Cup. But those same players got distracted — they stopped training, surrounded themselves with the wrong kind of ‘friends’ who weren’t there for them, but for their fame. That’s not true friendship. Get rid of such people if they’re around you — you don’t need them.

“Time flies, and every minute must be used wisely. Preparation, preparation, and more preparation — that’s the key to future success,” Ermatov noted.

He also stressed that the UFA leadership will always stand on the side of fairness and merit. Only the strongest should be selected for the squad — and the days when players were added to the team through phone calls are over.

Head coach of the U-17 team, Islombek Ismoilov, admitted that there had been some challenges in building the squad but said the support from UFA leadership helped them resist outside pressure.

“This is not just any team — this is the national team of 37 million people. No one has the right to put their personal interests above those of the team or the nation, whether they are a coach, an official, or an assistant.

“There were instances when individuals around us tried to prioritize their own agendas — but they were removed. You saw and heard it yourselves.

“Only the most deserving, the strongest should play. No other factors should influence selection. We have no right to become complacent. We must prove ourselves worthy every single day. Someone who is worthy today might not be tomorrow if they lower their standards,” he said.

Ermatov also issued a final warning about the dangers of arrogance and fame.

“You can become top-level footballers, you may even have private jets one day. But even then, your feet should stay on the ground. Never let pride take over. Always stay humble and grounded — then God will open doors for you.

“If you stick to the tactics and guidance given by your coaches, you’ll never go wrong. That’s extremely important.

“You are mentally strong — you’ve proven it on the field. If you prepare for the next tournament with the same spirit, no opponent or referee can stop you from reaching your goal.

“Those who follow this path will avoid the mistakes made by their older teammates,” Ermatov said.

It should be recalled that the Uzbekistan U-17 national team had a triumphant run at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup, held in Saudi Arabia from April 4–20. They dominated their opponents throughout the tournament and, despite being reduced to nine players in the first half of the final against the hosts, won 2–0 — proving their supremacy in Asia.

Now, head coach Islombek Ismoilov and his squad are preparing to compete in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, set to take place from November 3–27.