Akmal Tursunbaev

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Akmal Tursunbaev

| fullname = Akmal Mustafaevich Tursunbaev

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|4|14|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Yangiyoʻl, Uzbekistan

| height = 1.87 m

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthclubs1 = Pakhtakor

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs2 = Bunyodkor

| youthyears2 = –2013

| years1 = 2013

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| clubs1 = Bunyodkor

| years2 = 2013

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| clubs2 = → Andijon (loan)

| years3 = 2014–2015

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| clubs3 = Pakhtakor

| years4 = 2016

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 0

| clubs4 = Andijon

| years5 = 2017–2018

| caps5 = 33

| goals5 = 0

| clubs5 = Buxoro

| years6 = 2019–2021

| caps6 = 10

| goals6 = 0

| clubs6 = Metallurg Bekabad

| years7 = 2022

| caps7 = 8

| goals7 = 0

| clubs7 = Turon Yaypan

| years8 = 2023

| caps8 = 6

| goals8 = 0

| clubs8 = DPMM

| years9 = 2024

| caps9 = 2

| goals9 = 0

| clubs9 = Buxoro

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2013

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalteam1 = Uzbekistan U20

| nationalyears2 = 2013–2015

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalteam2 = Uzbekistan U23

| club-update = 27 March 2025

| ntupdate = 2 March 2023

}}

Akmal Mustafaevich Tursunbaev ({{langx|uz|Akmal Mustafaevich Tursunbaev}}, {{langx|ru|Акмал Турсунбаев}}; born 14 July 1993) is an Uzbekistani footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.{{cite web |title=25 players sign contract for DPMM FC|url=https://borneobulletin.com.bn/25-players-sign-contract-for-dpmm-fc/|date=1 March 2023|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=1 March 2023}}

Club career

Having made his development at Uzbek football powerhouses Pakhtakor and Bunyodkor, Tursunbaev went on loan to FK Andijon of the Uzbekistan First League in 2013, and won promotion to the 2014 Uzbek League. He was transferred to Pakhtakor where he played as a backup goalkeeper as the Tashkent club twice became league champions while he was there.

He subsequently returned to Andijon but could not save them from relegation at the end of the 2016 Uzbek League season.{{cite web |title=UzPFL :: Akmal Tursunboev|url=https://pfl.uz/ru/players/1790|date=|publisher=Uzbekistan Professional Football League|accessdate=2 March 2023}} He moved to other Higher League clubs such as FK Buxoro and Metallurg Bekabad before dropping a division to play for FK Turon Yaypan where they finished third in the 2022 season.{{cite web |title=Акмаль Турсунбаев: Старались без ошибок выполнить указания тренеров|url=https://sports.uz/ru/news/view/akmal-tursunbaev-staralis-bez-oshibok-vypolnit-ukazaniya-trenerov-|date=6 March 2017|publisher=Sports.uz|accessdate=2 March 2023}} He played in the promotion/relegation play-off against Lokomotiv Tashkent on 25 November and won 2–1, sending Turon to the top flight.{{cite web |title=UzPFL :: Turon - Lokomotiv|url=https://pfl.uz/ru/match/15120|date=|publisher=Uzbekistan Professional Football League|accessdate=3 March 2023}}

Tursunbaev moved to Bruneian club DPMM FC after completing a trial in January 2023.{{cite web |title=DPMM FC begin pre-season training ahead of Singapore League return|url=https://borneobulletin.com.bn/dpmm-fc-begin-pre-season-training-ahead-of-singapore-league-return/|date=10 January 2023|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=2 March 2023}} He put pen to paper on 28 February of that year. He made his debut away against Lion City Sailors on 3 March which resulted in a defeat to the Bruneian side 3–1.{{cite web |title=DPMM FC lose 3-1 to Lion City Sailors in opener|url=https://borneobulletin.com.bn/dpmm-fc-lose-3-1-to-lion-city-sailors-in-opener/|date=4 March 2023|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=5 March 2023}} After only featuring for six games, he was released by the club on 1 June.

In February 2024 he returned to FK Buxoro playing in the 2024 Uzbekistan Pro League.

International career

Tursunbaev was part of the national youth setup of his country from 2010 to 2014.{{cite web |title=Uzbekistan U-19 to participate tournament in Valencia|url=https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/11046|date=6 August 2010|publisher=UzDaily|accessdate=3 March 2023}} He was part of the Uzbekistan under-20 squad for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Turkey.{{cite web |title=FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013™: Uzbekistan|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/u20/turkey2013/teams/1889505|date=|publisher=FIFA|accessdate=3 March 2023}} He then played three games for the under-23s for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship qualification matches hosted by Bangladesh.{{cite web |title=Syria claim finals berth|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/syria-claim-finals-berth-74907|date=6 April 2015|publisher=The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|accessdate=3 March 2023}} He kept clean sheets against India and the host nation.{{cite web |title=2016 AFC U-23 Championship Qualification: Late Goals Condemn India To 0-2 Defeat Against Uzbekistan|url=https://www.india.com/sports/2016-afc-u-23-championship-qualification-late-goals-condemn-india-to-0-2-defeat-against-uzbekistan-333056/|date=28 March 2015|publisher=India.com|accessdate=3 March 2023}}