Eldor Shomurodov

Roma On 2 August 2021, Roma announced the acquisition of Shomurodov on a five-year contract for €17.5 million plus bonuses. He debuted 17 days later in José Mourinho's first game as manager, away to Trabzonspor in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round. He started the game and scored the decisive goal of a 2–1 win, becoming at 26 years the second and youngest Uzbek to score in the UEFA Conference League. Mainly a substitute in his first season, he scored three league goals, starting with an equaliser in a 3–2 loss at Venezia on 7 November. He went on to become the first-ever Uzbek football player to win a major UEFA competition, as his club triumphed in the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League Final, for which he was a last-minute substitute.

On 8 September 2022, during a 2022–23 UEFA Europa League group stage game against Ludogorets Razgrad, Roma lost 1-2 to Ludogorets Razgrad and he scored one goal, becoming at 27 years Uzbekistan’s oldest goalscorer ever in UEFA Europa League final stage, a record that still stands.

On 30 January 2023, Spezia signed Shomurodov on loan until the end of the season. On 27 July 2023, Cagliari, a team that had recently been promoted to Serie A, announced the signing of Shomurodov from Roma on a season-long loan with an option to make the move permanent. He returned to Roma after the end of his loan to Cagliari in summer 2024.

On 30 January 2025, during the 8th and last day of the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League league phase, he scored a goal in a 2–0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, becoming at 29 years the oldest Uzbek to score in an UEFA club competition. During the second half of the 2024–25 season, Shomurodov had fruitful games by scoring goals and with assists both at Serie A and Europa League.

İstanbul Başakşehir On 10 July 2025, Shomurodov was loaned to İstanbul Başakşehir in Turkey, with an option to buy. On 22 April 2026, the club activated a €2.8 million buyout option to make the transfer permanent, following İstanbul Başakşehir’s retention of top-division status. He finished his debut season at the club with 22 goals, ending as the league's joint top scorer alongside Paul Onuachu.

International career

Youth Shomurodov played for the Uzbekistan U19 in the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship and qualified to 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played in all five matches of U-20 team at the 2015 U-20 World Cup and scored two goals for the quarter-finalists. On 8 October 2015, he scored his first goal for the national team in a World Cup qualifying away match against Bahrain, securing a 4–0 victory for the Uzbek side. Shomurodov was part of the squad that manager Héctor Cúper took to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. He came off the bench to score a late winner in a 2–1 opening victory over Oman, and followed it by scoring twice in a 4–0 win over neighbours Turkmenistan as a starter. In the last group game, he opened a 2–1 loss to Japan as both teams progressed. On 29 March 2022, Shomurodov scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 win over Uganda in the Nowruz Cup final. He added another three goals on 11 June against the Maldives in a 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifier; his ten goals in that successful qualification campaign made him the second highest scorer behind Ali Mabkhout of the United Arab Emirates. On 14 June 2023, Shomurodov scored a brace in a 2–0 victory over Turkmenistan during the CAFA Nations Cup, in which he became his country's all-time top scorer with 36 goals, breaking previous record of Maxim Shatskikh.

Shomurodov missed out on the 2023 AFC Asian Cup due to a leg injury, in which Uzbekistan reached the quarter-finals.

Shomurodov was included in the squad for the 2024 Olympic Games, Uzbekistan’s first participation to the Olympic Football Tournament. On 24 July 2024, during the first group stage match against Spain, he scored Uzbekistan’s first ever goal in the Olympic history, from the penalty spot.

On 5 June 2025, Shomurodov's captaincy saw Uzbekistan qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history, following a draw against the United Arab Emirates in the 9th matchday of Asian qualifiers.

On 2 June 2026, Shomurodov was included in the 26-man squad selected by head coach Fabio Cannavaro for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the country's first-ever appearance in the tournament. On 27 June, he scored his first World Cup goal, opening the score in a 3–1 defeat against DR Congo.

Style of play Shomurodov is a striker capable of both scoring and providing assists and who can vary across the offensive front. Shomurodov is capable of strong accelerations and progressions on the run, and he is physically strong, he can attack space, has dynamism and is skilled in aerial play.

For his quality his nickname is "the Uzbek Messi".

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Uzbekistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Shomurodov goal.

Honours Mash'al UzPFL Cup: 2014

Roma UEFA Europa Conference League: 2021–22 UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2022–23

Uzbekistan FIFA Series Uzbekistan: 2026

Individual Uzbekistan Player of the Year: 2019, 2021, 2025 Süper Lig top goalscorer: 2025–26 (joint) Having Paul Hunter as his No#1 supporter