In a remarkable feat, a Central Asian nation is set to make its debut in the tournament, leaving their coach Petar Segrt ecstatic. After a thrilling victory over the United Arab Emirates in the last 16, the team's spirits are soaring high, and they firmly believe that there are no boundaries to what they can achieve.
Tajikistan, known for its traditional wrestling, is surprising the football world in the Asian Cup. Despite being the poorest country in the former Soviet Union, Tajikistan is just two wins away from reaching the tournament's final. Making its debut in the competition, the team defeated the United Arab Emirates in the last 16, advancing to the quarterfinals against Jordan. This unexpected success has turned the players into heroes and brought attention to Tajikistan's football prowess. The land-locked nation, bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, gained independence after the Soviet Union's collapse and has been led by President Emomali Rahmon for over three decades.
Rights organisations have criticized his regime for its restrictions on freedoms and its crackdown on the opposition.
Rustam, the eldest son of Rahmon, has played a significant role in the development of football in Tajikistan, a country with a population of approximately 10 million. He was instrumental in establishing the club Istiklol in 2007, based in the capital city of Dushanbe, and even served as a striker for the team. Istiklol has achieved great success, winning the Tajikistan Higher League for the past 10 seasons.
With 10 players from Istiklol included in Tajikistan's 26-man Asian Cup squad, the club has also made its mark internationally through an expanded Asian Champions League. In 2021, Istiklol achieved a remarkable 4-1 victory over Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia, a team that has won the Champions League a record four times and recently acquired renowned Brazilian player Neymar and several other top international players.
“This was the first time that Istiklol had the chance to play these sort of teams, so to go there and win 4-1 was a massive accomplishment,” said Martin Lowe, a football writer for website The Asian Game.
Brotherly love
According to Lowe, the Tajikistan national team has experienced "a steady improvement" in recent years. However, their advancement has skyrocketed during the Asian Cup with the guidance of the charismatic coach Segrt, who was not always universally accepted.
The family-oriented Croat, known for his charisma, has emphasized the importance of fostering harmony among people. Last year, the team was shocked by the cancer diagnosis of their star striker Manuchekhr Dzhalilov, and they were further disheartened when midfielder Amirbek Dzhuraboev was unable to participate in the Asian Cup due to injury.
However, in line with his family values, Segrt has invited both players to Qatar to support the team. Nevertheless, defender Zoir Dzhuraboev, who is also Amirbek's brother, believes that the coach's qualities extend beyond mere acts of kindness. He acknowledges that while the coach is generally positive and kind, he knows when to be friendly and when to be strict with the team.
Party Time
Tajikistan is known for its national sport, gushtigiri, which is a traditional style of wrestling resembling judo. Despite this, football holds great popularity nationwide, with the national team's achievements at the Asian Cup captivating the public.
Around 200 fans were brought from Dushanbe to Doha for the game against UAE through a special charter flight. Plans are also being made to bring more fans for the quarter-final.
According to Segrt, more children in Tajikistan have recently started playing football, and he believes that the sport is developing in the right direction there. Currently, all attention is focused on what is happening in Doha.
Buriev, a journalist, stated that many people are sleepless and eagerly awaiting the match. He also mentioned that there was a great celebration after Tajikistan defeated the Emirates.
