Qatar is the place to be, as the quadrennial AFC Asian Cup will kick off in the Oasis of the Middle East. Qatar, the defending AFC champions, will host Asia’s best national clubs, all hungry to be the continental champions of Asia.
Matchday 1 of the group stages will commence as early as January 13, where players of Asian descent will have to take leave from their domestic clubs and represent their motherland against their continental rivals.
A plethora of Asian players are key contributors in their respective clubs, and some are even household names in the toughest top flights the sport has to offer. Most of the fiercest leagues can be found in Europe, and a handful of Asian players thrive against the best and most prestigious clubs on the European continent.
Before the AFC Asian Cup starts, read below and take a look at some of the notable Asian footballers who call the toughest top flights their homes.
Son Heung-Min, Tottenham Hotspur
Since Park Ji-Sung, Tottenham’s skipper Son Heung-min has been the face of Asian football in the Premier League for quite some time now.
Son has been Ange Postecoglou’s go-to guy since the departure of perennial striker Harry Kane, and the South Korean took on the challenge head-on as his team continued to make strides in the English top flight despite losing key contributors like James Maddison and Ivan Perisic due to injuries.
This season, Son has already scored 12 goals in 20 appearances for Spurs, and his presence on the field is so polarizing that his teammates will surely miss his contributions while he’s out for international duties.
Tottenham’s No. 7 has thus far recorded 288 appearances for the North Londoners and scored a total of 115 goals while claiming 57 assists to boot. He also boasts one Golden Boot won in the 2021-2022 season, as well as being the first Asian player to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Son will be the tip of the spear for his nation’s football team, but he isn’t the only footballer in his outfit making strides in Europe.
Kim Min-Jae, Bayern Munich
Harry Kane left Tottenham and Son Heung-min to join Kim Min-jae and the rest of Bayern Munich.
Kim Min-jay is arguably the best defender in Europe, if not the world, and he’s currently the crème de la crème in the list of centre-backs in all of football today.
The Korean sensation has been the bulwark of Bayern’s defence ever since joining the Bavarians after his stint with Napoli.
“He brings a lot to the team. He’s grounded and the complete defender.” Bayern head coach Thomas boasts.
Kim got his nickname “the Monster” because of his relentless yet surgical, strong yet graceful style of defending. He brings ease to his teammates on the other end of the pitch, knowing that adversaries need to get past him before even getting a chance at the goal.
In his 15 appearances for the Bavarians, the Monster averages 1.1 tackles, 2.1 interceptions, and 3.1 clearances, with just 0.7 offside per game. These may not be the most glamorous stats, but SBOTOP football heads know how important players with Kim Min-Jae’s skillset are for a club to be successful.
Hwang Hee-Chan, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hwang Hee-Chan completes the Korea Republic’s big three. Hwangso is on a renaissance year with Wolverhampton, as he continues to contribute both goals and assists for Gary O’Neil’s outfit.
In 20 matches for Wolves this term, Hwangso has already registered 10 goals and dished out three assists. He’s been on a meteoric rise ever since joining the Wanderers in the 2021–22 season, increasing his productivity and effectiveness year after year.
His efforts for Gary O’Neil were not unnoticed, as he recently signed the dotted line on his new Wolves contract, which will see him stay with the club until at least 2028.
With him in the middle alongside Son Heung-min in the winger’s spot, expect a plethora of AFC Asian Cup 2023 highlights generated by this dynamic duo.
Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton & Hove Albion
Despite having a stacked lineup with multiple players flourishing in European leagues, Korea Republic won’t just run away with the hardware, as Japan are the AFC Asian Cup 2023 odds favourites to win it all.
Japan also boast a star-studded lineup with some household names that compete in the toughest top flights in Europe. Arguably, the hottest Japanese footballers in the world right now are Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, and Liverpool’s Wataru Endō.
To give you an idea of how good Mitoma has been, the Samurai Blue called him up for international duties despite tending to an ankle injury. This injury cripples both Brighton and Samurai Blue due to the wasted opportunities of having Mitoma’s services on the field.
Mitoma’s brilliance in the wings has done wonders for Brighton and served as one of the catalysts for the Seagull’s hot run in the Premier League in the past few weeks.
This season, Mitoma’s orchestrations have led to four assists while scoring three goals in just 17 matches with the Seagulls. Having him suited up for the Samurai Blue would mean the world for the Japanese outfit, but his injury still hinders him from making his debut on time.
Takefusa Kubo, Real Sociedad
Meanwhile, Japan’s other winger, Takefusa Kubo, is well and ready to don his nation’s colours to start the AFC Asian Cup.
Kubo has been one of the bright spots for Real Sociedad this season, as the right-winger continuously and generously provides quality outings for La Real this season with six goals and three assists in 18 matches in the Spanish top flight.
Txuri-Urdin continues to be one of the teams in the upper half of the standings, and Kubo is a big reason why.
The Japanese winger will be available for his nation at the AFC Asian Cup, but he openly expressed his frustrations with the timing of it all.
“I don’t know what to say to you… In the end it’s a shame that the Asian Cup is held during La Liga. La Real is the team that pays me, that’s clear,” Kubo told DAZN, a Spanish outlet.
“On the other hand, these tournaments you have an obligation to attend. I have to go. I feel very bad for La Real. But it is also true that representing my country in the Asia Cup, that’s also very nice. I go with the intrigue; it is what it is. I will try to enjoy it and when I return try to give what I won’t be able to this month.”
Whether for better or for worse, Takefusa Kubo will don the Japanese crest and leave his La Real to tend to international duties.
Wataru Endō, Liverpool
Japan’s skipper, Wataru Endō, is the heart and soul of the Japanese squad. The defensive midfielder has been Klopp’s reliable body in the middle of the pitch. Endō emerged to be one of Liverpool’s most vital players as the season went on, and his absence will definitely be felt by the mighty Reds.
In fact, the Japan skipper was voted Liverpool’s Men’s Player of the Month for December due to his unreplaceable efforts on the field and by scoring his first league goal during their nail-biter of a game against Fulham.
“December is a very important month, also for me, because we had so many injured players and I knew I needed to show why I’m here.” The 30-year-old explained.
Aside from a handful of players on the injury list and losing his rock in the midfield, Klopp’s golden boy, Mo Salah, will also take a leave from Liverpool to represent his country of Egypt in the African Cup of Nations.
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