Former Italy national team doctor Enrico Castellacci praised Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, emphasizing that the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner "deserves more recognition" in Italy.

Last week, Cannavaro's Uzbekistan lost 1-3 to Colombia in their first FIFA World Cup match.

"The emotions of stepping onto the FIFA World Cup stage for the first time were incomparable. There were eighty thousand Colombian jerseys in the stadium and only a thousand Uzbek jerseys, but playing at the Estadio Azteca was meaningful—after all, this stadium holds special significance for us Italians," said Castellacci, now Uzbekistan's team doctor, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The result disappointed us somewhat; we shouldn't have conceded three goals, but it was our first FIFA World Cup match, and strong emotions were inevitable."

"I've witnessed Fabio (Cannavaro) make great progress, and I don't understand why he doesn't receive the recognition he deserves in Italy," Castellacci said.

"In him, I see the same composure Lippi possessed, that iconic smile, and he's also a tireless workaholic. He studies tactics, analyzes videos, devises strategies, and breaks down opponents—often working until two in the morning. He embodies Lippi's coaching philosophy, particularly the 'team first' mentality. Marcello (Lippi) left a significant mark on football and also on Chinese football, where overhauling the system was by no means easy."

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