Abdukodir Khusanov’s World Cup is over, and Manchester City now have one defensive returnee to fold into Enzo Maresca’s first pre-season plan.
Uzbekistan were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 3-1 defeat to DR Congo, with Khusanov’s side finishing bottom of Group K.
Yoane Wissa and Fiston Mayele sealed DR Congo’s historic progression, while Uzbekistan’s debut campaign ended without a point.
Maresca gets an early defensive marker
For City, the timing matters. The club still have a heavy World Cup contingent alive in the knockout rounds, but Khusanov can now move toward recovery, review work and a cleaner training return than several senior defenders still carrying tournament minutes.
The 22-year-old centre-back remains a live squad question.
John Stones’ recent praise of Khusanov underlined the internal regard for his ceiling, but Maresca must now decide how quickly to integrate him into a defensive structure changing after Pep Guardiola’s exit.
There was also a sharper lesson from Atlanta. ESPN reported that Khusanov was involved in the penalty incident from which Wissa levelled, a reminder that City’s coaching staff will want calm penalty-box decision-making to sit alongside his aggression and recovery speed.
With Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Marc Guehi all still in tournament mode, Khusanov’s early exit is not just disappointment. It is a practical opening for Maresca to start one individual rebuild before the rest of City’s back line returns in staggered waves.
