A native of Shakhtinsk became the best goalkeeper at the World mini-football Championship

The 6x6 World mini-football Championship has ended in Cancun (Mexico), as a result of which the national team of Kazakhstan took the third place among the 32 strongest teams.

Akbulan Yerkinbek, a native of Shakhtinsk, who has been playing mini—football for eight years, was recognized as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

According to Akbulan, football for him is primarily a hobby, not a profession.

— It's just a hobby for me. I don't play professionally. Actually, I'm a private entrepreneur, and football is for the soul," he says.

Despite his amateur status, Akbulan has achieved impressive results. In 2023, as a member of the national team, he became the European champion in Moldova. In 2024, Kazakhstan took second place at the World Championship in Oman, and in October of this year, Akbulan was recognized as the best goalkeeper at the World Club Championship in Greece.

At the World Cup in Cancun, Kazakhstanis played against the national teams of France, Uruguay, the Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico. According to Akbulan, the most difficult match turned out to be with Romania, a physically and tactically strong opponent. The game ended 1-1, followed by a shootout.

— I "pulled" two out of three. It wasn't easy, but it's really a reason to be proud," said the goalkeeper.

Another intense shootout was in the match against Ukraine, where he also deflected two of the three shots.

Akbulan has no plans to leave football.

— This is an amateur sport — we play for the soul. We will continue to strive for new victories on the world stage," he says.