“It is my great pleasure and honour to extend to you and the Uzbekistan nation, my personal heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on the U23 national team winning the AFC U23 Championship 2018 China, earlier today,” he said.

He noted that as the first Central Zone Asian nation to win the AFC U23 Championship, the whole team deserves commendation for their thrilling display of grit and dedication throughout the Championship.

“I am confident these players will play a pivotal role in Uzbekistan football’s progress in the coming years, and will make your nation and Asia proud,” he said.

Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa added: “I have no doubt that with the support of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the future of football in Uzbekistan is bright.”

“I assure you of my full support for accelerating the development and promotion of football in your beautiful country,” he added.