India, June 18 -- Finally the Uzbekistan national football team will step on the greatest stage of all, the legendary Estadio Azteca, where history will be written. The White Wolves are an intriguing wildcard coming into the tournament and will face South American powerhouse Colombia in their opening match in Group K. Here are five key facts you need to know about the debutant squad ahead of the historic opening whistle, featuring the likes of Eldor Shomurodov and Abdulkodir Khusanov.

1. Crossing a Regional Boundary

When Uzbekistan walk out in Mexico City, they will officially be the first ever Central Asian nation to compete in a FIFA World Cup. Since independence and their first official international fixture in 1992, the country has ...