Cannavaro says Uzbekistan must embrace World Cup debut against Colombia

MEXICO CITY, June 16 : Coach Fabio Cannavaro said Uzbekistan have nothing to lose when they make their World Cup debut against Colombia on Wednesday and urged his players to enjoy the biggest moment in the country's football history.

Cannavaro said he had drawn on his own memories from captaining Italy to the World Cup title in 2006 to help his players manage the emotion and pressure of their first appearance on the game's biggest stage.

"I try to help remove the pressure," Cannavaro told reporters on Tuesday. "The stage is tough. I try to explain to them to enjoy it because it's the first time, we don't have anything to lose.

"But it doesn't mean that we will just be enjoying the moment. We know that we need to fight."

The 2006 Ballon d'Or winner said he had spoken to the squad about the experience of arriving at a World Cup and the importance of appreciating a moment many of them will remember for the rest of their careers.

"I tried to share with them my experience," Cannavaro said. "I tried to share with them my first day in the World Cup, because this is something that you will remember.

"So I told them to really enjoy it, to appreciate everything since we arrived here in Mexico."

Cannavaro said Uzbekistan, who also face Portugal and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Group K, wanted to show their identity as well as to compete.

"It is to show the people our culture, our philosophy," he said. "It's true that we are here for the first time, and of course we want to show the people our mentality."

A key figure will be centre back Abdukodir Khusanov, who is expected to play a central role in Cannavaro's defensive plan.

"He knows how to control the situation, he knows how to control the pressure," Cannavaro said. "The guys are