Behruz Karimov

Behruz Karimov is just 18 and among the youngest players in the Uzbek World Cup squad, having only recently stepped up to senior club football with Surkhon after time with Olympic and Olimpiya Toshkent. His inclusion at this stage reflects either exceptional early development or a squad-building decision with one eye on the future. At 18, he would be unlikely to feature heavily in high-stakes group-stage matches, but the experience of a World Cup environment — training sessions, tactical meetings, the pace of elite international football — could accelerate his development significantly in the years ahead.