Eldor Azamat oʻgʻli Shomurodov (born 29 June 1995) is an Uzbek professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club İstanbul Başakşehir and captains the Uzbekistan national team.
Shomurodov played in his homeland for Mash'al Mubarek and Bunyodkor, before spending three years with Rostov in the Russian Premier League. In 2020, he moved to Genoa in Serie A for €8 million and a year later Roma for €17.5 million, followed by loan spells at Spezia and Cagliari.
After helping the under-20 team to the quarter-finals of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Shomurodov made his full international debut for Uzbekistan later that year, and represented the country at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He also captained his team as they qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Uzbekistan's first ever appearance at the tournament. With 47 goals, he is the nation's all-time top scorer.
Club career
Early career Shomurodov was born in Jarqoʻrgʻon, Uzbekistan on 29 June 1995. His father, uncles, and brother are also footballers. His uncles, Ilkhom and Otabek Shomurodov, both played for Uzbekistan. Eldor started playing football at six years old and at the age of eleven joined the academy for Mash'al Mubarek. At the beginning of 2015 he transferred to Bunyodkor. On 15 July 2017, he moved to the Russian Premier League club Rostov. His most prolific season for the club was his last, with 11 goals in 2019–20.
Genoa On 1 October 2020, Shomurodov completed an €8 million move to Serie A club Genoa. He became the second Uzbek to play in Serie A, after Ilyos Zeytulayev, whose teams also included Genoa. He made his debut on 19 October in a goalless draw at Hellas Verona, being substituted for Gianluca Scamacca after 63 minutes; his first goal on 30 November was consolation in a 2–1 home loss to Parma. He scored eight times in his one season at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, including two in a 4–3 home loss to Atalanta on 15 May 2021.
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 old the second (just three weeks after Igor Sergeev) 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 match against Ludogorets Razgrad, Shomurodov scored one goal, becoming at 27 years old Uzbekistan's oldest goalscorer ever in the UEFA Europa League proper, 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.
Shomurodov and two teammates were listed as nominees for best young players of Asia by AFC in 2015.
Senior Shomurodov was called to play for the senior national team on 3 September 2015 for the 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Yemen. He made his official debut in that match. 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". He studied the games of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres as a child.
Career statistics
Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMash'al Mubarek2014Uzbekistan Super League9000——90Bunyodkor2015Uzbekistan Super League25751401235102016Uzbekistan Super League27105072—39122017Uzbekistan Super League1413061—232Total6618131173129724Rostov2017–18Russian Premier League18220——2022018–19Russian Premier League26361——3242019–20Russian Premier League281120——30112020–21Russian Premier League800011—91Total801610111—9118Genoa2020–21Serie A31810——328Roma2021–22Serie A28311111—4052022–23Serie A600021—812024–25Serie A2742182—377Total61732214—8513Spezia (loan)2022–23Serie A151——10161Cagliari (loan)2023–24Serie A22320——243İstanbul Başakşehir (loan) 2025–26Süper Lig 34224160—4423İstanbul Başakşehir2026–27Süper Lig660020—86Career total322793254782240394
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsUzbekistan201521201612320177220187020191413202011202182202210112023852024932025102202694Total9747
Scores and results list Uzbekistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Shomurodov goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Eldor ShomurodovNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition18 October 2015Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain4–04–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification214 February 2016Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates1–02–0Friendly37 June 2016Thermenstadion, Bad Waltersdorf, Austria1–11–2424 July 2016Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan2–02–1524 January 2017The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates1–02–262–279 January 2019Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates2–12–12019 AFC Asian Cup813 January 2019Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates2–04–094–01017 January 2019Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates1–01–21125 March 2019Guangxi Sports Center, Nanning, China1–01–02019 China Cup1211 June 2019Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–02–0Friendly132–01410 October 2019Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan2–05–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification1515 October 2019National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore2–13–1163–11714 November 2019Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–02–31819 November 20191–02–0192–0208 October 20201–21–2Friendly217 June 2021King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia3–05–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification225 September 2021Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden1–21–2Friendly2327 January 2022The Sevens Stadiums, Dubai, United Arab Emirates1–03–0242–02525 March 2022Markaziy Stadium, Namangan, Uzbekistan1–13–12022 Nowruz Cup2629 March 20222–04–2273–1284–12911 June 20221–04–02023 AFC Asian Cup qualification302–0313–03227 September 2022Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea1–01–2Friendly3316 November 2022Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan2–02–03424 March 2023King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia1–01–03514 June 2023Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–02–02023 CAFA Nations Cup362–03717 June 20232–15–13816 November 2023Ashgabat Stadium, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan3–13–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification3921 March 2024Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong1–02–04026 March 2024Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–03–04110 September 2024Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 1–13–22026 FIFA World Cup qualification4210 June 2025Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan2–03–0439 October 2025Olympic City Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–02–0 Friendly44 27 March 2026Milliy Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1–13–1 2026 FIFA Series4527 June 2026Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States1–01–3 2026 FIFA World Cup4624 September 2026Istiqlol Stadium, Fergana, Uzbekistan1–03–1Friendly472–1
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)
See also List of top international men's football goal scorers by country
References
External links