Fabio Cannavaro has stepped forward to shoulder the blame for Uzbekistan's heavy 5-0 defeat to Portugal in Group K of the FIFA World Cup 2026, played in Houston, Texas.

The Italian coach was adamant that his players gave everything on the pitch, insisting that the tactical errors which led to the rout were his responsibility — not theirs.

"They tried everything, they tried their best, I am very proud," Cannavaro told reporters after the match. "We have to keep believing until we mathematically cannot go through."

"All my life I have taken responsibility, as a player and as a coach. If we lost 5-0, it is because today I made mistakes, and not them."

Disallowed goal dented confidence

Cannavaro pointed to a disallowed goal from Azizjon Ganiev, when the score stood at 2-0, as a turning point that knocked the wind out of his side. He felt the decision significantly damaged the team's belief at a critical moment in the game.

"The goal that was disallowed really had an impact on our confidence. It was a shame because we started playing just as we did against Colombia — we were playing boldly," he said.

A learning curve for a World Cup debutant

Cannavaro framed the tournament as a formative experience for a nation making its first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup 2026. He urged his players to embrace mistakes as part of their development rather than shrink from them.

"I told the players that they can misplace a pass and make mistakes, because I must give them the confidence to try and improve," he explained. "I asked them to be more courageous, to play football and not to be afraid. If you have that mindset you can grow as a team and grow individually."

Despite the scoreline, Cannavaro maintained a defiant outlook, declaring that Uzbekistan would press on and fight for every remaining point. "We are here to gain experience even if we are to lose," he added.