You may be forgiven for not having watched too much Asian football aside from the odd glimpse of a nation appearing at a World Cup or two. However, considering the names and stories within, new eyes will hopefully be drawn to the continent's major tournament in the coming weeks.
After their first-ever victory in 2019, the next AFC Asian Cup takes place in Qatar and has subsequently been moved due to the desert nation's temperatures. So who will stand out in 2023's Asian Cup? Football FanCast has picked a crop of talents new and old, that could do great things for their respective nations (and even careers) at Asia's next footballing showpiece.
AFC Asian Cup 2023: Fixtures, location, dates, times, watch on TV
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is right around the corner, so Football FanCast has everything you need to know before the first ball is kicked.
ByJack Salveson HolmesJan 3, 2024 10 Hokky Caraka – Indonesia Forward, PSS Sleman
Starting with the first of a handful of gifted young Indonesians, and with the superbly named Hokky Caraka Bintang Brilliant. Only using his first two names, 19-year-old Hokky Caraka plays for PSS Sleman in Indonesia's top flight.
Life in senior football has seen a gradual and steady rise since his formative inclusion in the first team set up in 2021. It's also been said that Hokky has risen through adversity to chase his footballing dream – even travelling 60 kilometres just to get to training. Three senior outings came before 2022-23's 11-game glimpses, but it's been this term where the forward's found his feet. While 20 club appearances have reaped three goals and one assist, it's fair to say that Caraka has boosted his 'hidden gem' status with exploits for the national team.
Since 2022's first run out in Merah Putih colours, Caraka's ascent has been rapid. In July 2022, there were four goals for Indonesia's U19s against Brunei. Then, September saw an U23 debut. His form for them continued with 5 goals in 12. The U23s outings that same month saw a goal in two before the senior team called the revelation up. Here he has two in three – and with the Asian Cup almost upon us, the 5 foot 10 right-footed striker's likely involvement will no doubt have neutrals considering if Indonesia can take some vital chances. There could be huge upsets against group D opponents Japan, Iraq, and Vietnam.
9 Ramadhan Sananta – Indonesia Forward, PERSIS Solo
The second player to watch is 20-year-old Ramadhan Sananta. Sananta plays for PERSIS Solo in the top tier and has already moved about a fair bit – he is a title winner to boot. This is perhaps already due to his scoring exploits as his record is already an impressive sight.
At his first club, PS Harjuna Putra, he scored 9 goals in 12 games. Clearly, this got him snapped up by top-tier Persikabo 1973 – yet here his form faltered with limited chances. Four games brought zero goals, yet he got a move to PSM Makassar and was widely credited for the South Sulawesi club's domestic success. In a historic term where PSM won Liga I for just the second time, a 19-year-old Sananta scored a more-than-helpful 11 goals in 24 games.
To make matters even better for the ever-improving finisher's resume, his international career has also brought the goals. In just seven appearances for the national team – Sananta has notched four goals. Before that for the U22s, Ramadhan scored five superb goals as he powered his side to victory at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia as the tournament's top scorer.
8 Elkan Baggott – Indonesia Defender, Ipswich Town
Ending what's become a miniature Indonesia hype-fest is centre-back Elkan Baggott. The only one of our three Indonesian internationals who doesn't ply his trade in the country, Baggott plays for Ipswich Town in the EFL Championship. Born in Thailand, 21-year-old Elkan has an English father and an Indonesian mother. He learned to play football at school in Indonesia, and that's who he represents at international level.
Part of an intriguing Indonesian generation of footballers, Baggott debatably has the highest pedigree of the bunch. Currently plying his trade in his father's country, Ekan continues to learn under a very progressive young manager Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town in the English second tier.
Before this, the 6 foot 4 defender cut his teeth in prior seasons with loan moves to King's Lynn Town in the National League, Gillingham and briefly Cheltenham Town in League One. While Caraka and Sananta might do the scoring, Baggott forms the base of a key Indonesian spine. He could play a big part in Qatar and already, he has a steady 19 caps with 2 goals.
7 Firas Al-Buraikan – Saudi Arabia Forward, Al-Ahli
In a league where youth is sometimes neglected for the overpriced near-fictional sums for Europe's scrapheap and wantaway stars, Firas Al-Buraikan sticks out like a sore thumb. A home-grown talent? Why bother with Firmino, Saint-Maximin and Mahrez? Yes, that's a slightly bitter take on Saudi Arabia's recent spending exploits, but within an environment of buy-to-win, Al-Buraikan's talent has been slowly blossoming, and the Asian Cup could be another photosynthetic moment for the 22-year-old.
Since breaking through, a trip to Europe hasn't been on the cards (yet) – but he's grown excellently in the Roshn Saudi League. Although his Al-Nassr career didn't take off with four goals in 28, a move to Al-Fateh was much-needed. At the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, Al-Buraikan became a reputable hitman and notched 33 goals in 65 games, adding 9 assists.
This prompted a switch to Al-Ahli, where he's smashed 13 goal involvements in 14 games already. For the national team, he's got six in 36 and as he's hit fine domestic form, he could evolve into the Green Falcons' beacon up top.
6 Ali Al-Hamadi – Iraq Forward, AFC Wimbledon
While Iraq don't immediately spring to mind in football terms, a crop of players look to disprove that. AFC Wimbledon's Ali Al-Hamadi is one of them. The 21-year-old striker, born in Iraq before moving to the UK at an early age, has seen excellent growth since his time with Tranmere Rovers' and Swansea City's youth setups. Eventually moving into the senior ranks of Wycombe Wanderers and showing formative glimpses on loan at National League outfit Bromley, Al-Hamadi has found a serious groove with League Two Wimbledon since January 2023.
As the above video shows, Al-Hamadi has stormed into the Wombles' hearts with his hat-trick against Tranmere. In a wider scoring tally, an exceptional 2022/23 saw ten goals in 19 games. This season, he has 17 in 29 with 7 assists – and with League Two seasons being 46 games long, it's a frightening prospect what the Iraqi youngster could eventually end up with.
The national team have involved the Maysan-born finisher since 2021. Although he's only scored 3 times in 11 outings – fortunes could change if he brings his domestic form into the upcoming AFC competition.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Qatar
Australia
Iran
Japan
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
China
Uzbekistan
UAE
Indonesia
Malaysia
Thailand
Tajikistan
Syria
Hong Kong
Iraq
Jordan
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
India
Palestine
Vietnam
Bahrain
Oman
5 Hwang Hee-chan – South Korea Forward, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hwang Hee-chan is the first South Korean gem to be included in this feature. Perhaps at times a little hit or miss at Wolves since his move from Salzburg initially on loan in 2021/22 – 'Hwangso' (or 'The Bull', as Korean fans affectionately call him) has certainly been pulling his weight this season.
The 27-year-old looks to be reaching his prime and has steadily adapted to Premier League life. Before joining Wolves, Salzburg saw 45 goals in 126 games, with the 2019/20 season alone trailblazing Hwang onto the radars of multiple teams. Here, alongside the likes of Erling Haaland, Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu to name just three – Hwang contributed goals and assists galore.
Across all competitions, he registered 16 goals and 22 assists across 40 games. 11 goals and 12 assists came in the league's 27 outings alone as Salzburg claimed their 14th title – their seventh on the bounce.
Moves to Hamburg and RB Leipzig were unsuccessful. However, after formative adaptation, his comfort at Wolves has grown admirably. Like Al-Hamadi, it's really a case of carrying recent domestic form and energy over to international tournament football as Hwang has enjoyed his best Premier League season yet, as the poaching forward has ten goals and three assists heading into the new year.
If this confidence continues, he could easily add to his 22 direct goal involvements in 59 South Korea matches and become a main focal point alongside Son Heung-min.
4 Lee Kang-in – South Korea Midfielder, Paris Saint-Germain
Following Hwang to the Asian Cup is midfielder Lee Kang-in. Similarly to his compatriot, Lee has had to bide his time when it comes to finding his true form in Europe. Alternatively, Lee had to negotiate wonderkid status and the weight that bears – yet after graduating through Valencia's youth and senior ranks, it was his time at RCD Mallorca that was more than productive.
With an eagle eye for a pass, Lee is also an adept dribbler – and in the 2022/23 season, he became one of the best dribblers in the 'big five' European leagues by making the highest success rate of dribbles and the sixth-highest number of successful dribbles.
Of course, with PSG ruler Kylian Mbappe deserving of only the finest service – Lee was bought by the Parisians in July 2023 to become the first South Korean to play for the club.
An excellent member of a core contingent of skill in South Korea's ranks, it's no wonder the Taegeuk Warriors will be among the favourites to do well.
3 Wataru Endo – Japan Midfielder, Liverpool
Wataru Endo may seem like a bit of a gimme or a sort of replacement inclusion. However, unlike the midfielder's somewhat emergency Liverpool cover-move – the 30-year-old is more than qualified to be seen as a major aid for Japan's clinching of that record fifth Asian Cup title, particularly as the side's skipper.
Part of the squad that lost out to Qatar in 2019's Asian Cup final, Endo has all the tools as a midfield battler and captain to spur Japan on to historic greatness. At Endo's former club, VFB Stuttgart, sporting director Sven Mislintat summed up the consummate pro's sheer influence in 2021.
"As a player and as a person, he’s simply incredibly valuable. He’s one of these anchors, a focal point in our system. Whether he plays as a centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, it’s good that he’s there and performs.”
2 Kim Min-jae – South Korea Defender, Bayern Munich
Rapid ascents have been commonplace in this piece thus far with brilliant youngsters aplenty. However, the theme can continue with senior pros. 26-year-old Kim Min-jae has gone from the depths of the South Korean third division to Europe in just six years, and continues to push his boundaries at Bayern Munich.
Kim's quality is demonstrated by perhaps just how brief his stints at (especially European) clubs have been so far as managers wrestle for the 6 foot 3 unit's signature. Now settled at Bayern after Fenerbahce and league-winning Napoli, Kim can no doubt bring South Korea back to the top of the pile. South Korea haven't won the Asian Cup since way back in 1960. Napoli hadn't won a Serie A title for 33 years before prime Kim's impact…
In that title-winning term, Napoli conceded just 28 goals with Kim largely responsible. Given the aforementioned talent in midfield and his teammate below, the 'monster' (as nicknamed early in his career) could yet inspire his nation from defence.
1 Son Heung-min – South Korea Forward, Tottenham Hotspur
Completing this feature, as well as our core of South Koreans, comes Spurs' Son Heung-min. For 31-year-old Son, the importance of a solid Asian Cup run and just how long it's been since victory won't likely be lost on him.
Now undertaking the role of captain, the predominantly positive attacker has evolved into a new figure at club level and for his country – particularly with the former's departure of Harry Kane. Son's stat sheet is quite something while trying to demonstrate his box-office quality. With amazing goals (such as the one featured below), the Korean's consistency has been debatably wasted by trophy-shy Tottenham.
In the white half of north London, Son has netted a jaw-dropping 157 goals in 393 all-competition games, with 85 assists to boot. For his country, Son has a little way to go if he's to beat the legendary Cha Bum-kun's scoring record of 58 goals. Son needs 18 more goals, and although not at all likely he could do it in this one tournament alone – goals, creation and success could be an extra motivation for Tottenham's star.
Widely considered to be his nation's finest modern export, Son's quality has been matched by those around him and now South Korea could grab a first AFC trophy since 1960's win on home soil.