The ceremony of honoring the athletes, held at Uzbekistan Hotel in Tashkent, was attended by heads of Uzbekistan Football Association, representatives of state and public organizations, their parents and friends, mass media workers. 

Constant attention paid in Uzbekistan to development of physical culture and sports, upbringing the young generation as comprehensively healthy and harmoniously developed personalities, is further enhancing. The resolution of the President of Uzbekistan “On measures for further development of physical culture and sports” of June 3 and “On preparation of Uzbekistan athletes for the XXXII Summer Olympic and XVI Paralympic Games 2020 in Tokyo, Japan” of August 9, 2017 serve as an important factor in careful preparation and worthy participation of the country’s athletes in major international tournaments, involvement of new talents into national teams. 

Victory of our young players at Asian Football Championship is also a practical result of these large-scale reforms, great attention and care. 

Teams from 16 countries of the world competed for the victory at the Asian Championship. Members of Uzbekistan National U23 Football Team demonstrated their highest potential to international sports community and proved that they are worthy heirs of great ancestors, brave sons of Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan’s football players won Asian Games 1994 in Hiroshima and Junior Asian Championship 2011 in Iran. 

In acute and irreconcilable contest of Asian Championship held by Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in China, members of Uzbekistan National U23 Football Team demonstrated their strong will and desire to victory, both psychical and tactical superiority over the rivals and became the winners. 

In the first match in group A, our footballers lost to Qatar, but in the next matches they beat Chinese and Omani players. In the quarterfinals, the Uzbek players defeated Japan with a score of 4:0, in the semifinals – the representatives of South Korea with a score of 4:1. 

In the final match held in severe weather conditions, our players defeated Vietnamese team with a score of 2:1 and became the champions. Midfielder Odiljon Khamrobekov was recognized as the best player by AFC. He was rewarded $20 thousand by the company “Toyota”. 

People of Uzbekistan are very pleased with historic victory of young players, their hearts are filled with a sense of boundless pride. All compatriots celebrated this victory with a great rejoicing. 

…Long awaited moment – football players arrived at Uzbekistan Hotel in Tashkent. They were greeted under the sounds of karnays and surnays. Young people are chanting “Uzbekistan!”, and parents are congratulating winners. Everyone is expressing their sincere congratulations, best wishes filled with a sense of pride and joy: “Bravo, young champions. You are pride of Uzbekistan!” 

- Hearing the congratulatory message of our President, we felt great joy and pride, - says a young player Rustamjon Ashurmatov. - I could not hold back my tears after reading sincere wishes of the Head of our state. We will make our efforts to achieve even greater victories in the future. 

Members of Uzbekistan National Football Team were presented the gifts of the country’s President – the keys from Malibu cars. 

Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan A. Aripov delivered a speech at the ceremony. 

The event was also attended by the State Advisor of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairman of the Central Council of the Youth Union of Uzbekistan K.Kuranbayev.