"Fabio Cannavaro was not expecting to be back on the World Cup stage in this capacity any time soon. As a player, the Italian legend is one of the greatest center-backs in the history of world soccer. He captained his nation to the 2006 World Cup title, won the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, the UEFA Cup, and Spain's La Liga, as well as a pair of vacated Italian Serie A crowns during a distinguished playing career with Parma, Juventus, and Real Madrid."
"His transition to manager, though, has been bumpy. He found most of his success in Asia after stops in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and China. After winning the Chinese Super League in 2019 with Guangzhou Evergrande, he returned home to Italy, but didn't stay there long: 17 matches with Serie B's Benevento and then just six with top-flight Udinese despite saving them from relegation. In December 2024, he joined Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb before being sacked four months later in April."
"Then, out of nowhere, in late September, came a call from the Uzbekistan Football Association. The small Central Asian nation had qualified for its first-ever World Cup in June and was desperate for a head coach with more experience than its local hero, Timur Kapadze. They went after the 2014 World Cup-winning German coach, Joachim Low, and ex-Portugal and South Korea manager Paulo Bento. Both said no. Cannavaro said yes."
Fabio Cannavaro is a former Italian center-back who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup title and won major trophies with Parma, Juventus and Real Madrid, including the Ballon d'Or. His managerial career produced success mainly in Asia, highlighted by the 2019 Chinese Super League title with Guangzhou Evergrande, but featured short, uneven spells back in Italy and a brief stint at Dinamo Zagreb that ended with his April dismissal. Uzbekistan, making its first World Cup, pursued high-profile coaches and ultimately appointed Cannavaro on Oct. 6 to lead their historic campaign, a role he welcomed as an important learning experience.
Read at www.amny.com
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