Fayzullaev scripts history as shortest header scorer in modern World Cup

Fayzullaev struck in the 60th minute as Uzbekistan fell to Colombia 3-1 in a Group D clash. The goal marked Uzbekistan's first of the 2026 tournament.

At 167 cm tall, Fayzullaev surpassed modern records as the shortest player to convert a header at a World Cup this century. The previous record for smallest header scorer at a World Championship remained uncontested for decades.

CSKA Moscow defender Matveï Lukin, who messaged Fayzullaev after the match, reported the striker's jubilation. "He sent me a video where he's sitting happy and pleased," Lukin told TASS. "I told him not to relax because important matches lie ahead." Lukin praised Fayzullaev as a hard worker unlikely to suffer from complacency.

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