Uzbekistan international defender Bekhruz Karimov has completed a transfer to Swiss Super League side FC Lugano from Surkhon Termez. The Uzbekistan Football Association announced that the 19-year-old fullback has officially signed a contract with his new club.
Behruz Karimov is absolutely the player who has earned this move. The right-back quickly made a name for himself in the domestic league, earning a swift call-up to the senior national team. He easily secured a spot in Uzbekistan's starting lineup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring in high-stakes matches against Colombia and Portugal.
Let’s be honest: in terms of raw footballing skills, he is still a bit unpolished and has a lot of developing to do. However, his ceiling is exceptionally high. What sets him apart is his astonishing character, mental fortitude, and sheer physical resilience.
His physical durability is nothing short of miraculous; he completely recovered from a bone fracture and returned to the pitch in just two months, a blistering turnaround time that speaks volumes about his exceptional body strength and elite genetic recovery.
Despite being only 18 years old, he demonstrated the psychological maturity of a veteran on the global stage. He faced an incredibly overwhelming test when he had to line up directly against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the World Cup match. Yet, even when the rest of our team completely crumbled under the pressure, Karimov did not hide. Instead, he took the game by the horns, fearlessly initiating progressive dribbles and using confident feints to bypass elite opponents.
What was truly incredible for a player his age was his leadership on the pitch; during the team’s toughest moments, he turned to the stands and explicitly gestured for the Uzbek crowd to support and cheer, rallying the fans to lift the team's spirits. A young player with that kind of psychological strength, elite physical recovery, and natural leadership is incredibly rare.
Founded in 1908, FC Lugano is one of Switzerland's historic clubs. The team has clinched the Swiss league title three times and lifted the Swiss Cup on four occasions.
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