AFC Asian Cup: The biggest players in tournament history
Goal machine Ali Daei, Honda Keisuke and Son Heung-min are three of the eight men making our list of Asian Cup heroes.
Football
Held every four years, the AFC Asian Cup is now a tournament watched by clubs all over the world seeking to bolster their squads.
That was rarely the case until the 1990s, but fine performances by Asian teams at the FIFA World Cup - most notably Republic of Korea's run to the semi-finals in 2002 - piqued interest in footballers from the globe's largest continent.
Korean stars Cha Bum-kun and Park Ji-sung - two of Asia's greatest players - failed to make much of an impact in the Asian Cup and so have not made our list of tournament leading lights. But two of their compatriots, including current captain Son Heung-min, are in our eight-strong roll of honour.
Majed Abdullah (Saudi Arabia)
Majed Abdullah spent the whole of his career at Al-Nassr and is the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 189 goals in 194 appearances, a tally far beyond even Cristiano Ronaldo's reach at the Saudi giants.
The Jeddah-born striker is also his country's record marksman with 72 goals in 117 games as well as Saudi Arabia's solitary strike in their Olympic debut at Los Angeles 1984.
Later that year in Singapore, Saudi Arabia took part in their first Asian Cup Finals tournament and won it. Majed found the net twice including the second in the 2-0 final victory over People's Republic of China.
Four years later, his header saw Saudi Arabia past Islamic Republic of Iran 1-0 in the semi-finals before the side retained the title.
A gangling yet skilful left-footed striker, the 'Arabian Jewel' retired shortly after making his sole FIFA World Cup appearance in 1994.
Hong Myung-bo (C) celebrates after his winning penalty against Spain in the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals
Hong Myung-bo (Republic of Korea)
While Park Ji-sung made headlines in Europe with PSV Eindhoven and Manchester United, he never truly made his mark on the Asian Cup. His 2002 FIFA World Cup teammate Hong Myung-bo certainly did.
Hong played in four consecutive World Cups, making his debut at Italia '90, and made 137 appearances for South Korea. Nicknamed 'Asia's Beckenbauer' after German great Franz Beckenbauer, the elegant sweeper was able to carry the ball forward and pick out teammates using his great vision and range of passing.
At the 1994 World Cup, he enginerered a famous comeback from 2-0 down against Spain, scoring with five minutes to go before setting up Seo Jung-won's late equaliser.
Despite their World Cup heroics, it was not until 2000 that Hong was in a competitive Korean side at the Asian Cup. After just making it out of the group stages, the team overcame Iran in extra time before losing out to Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals.
Hong, who was the Reds captain by this point, was named to the Team of the Tournament. But his greatest moment came at the FIFA World Cup 2002 on home soil when he converted the winning spot-kick against Spain in the quarter-finals.
A future national team coach who guided South Korea to bronze at London 2012 after upsetting hosts Great Britain, he is regarded as one of Asia's all-time finest playmakers.
Ali Daei (Iran)
Unti Cristiano Ronaldo came along, Ali Daei was the highest male goalscorer in the history of international football. But the Iranian remains the all-time top marksman in the Asian Cup.
One of the best headers of the ball in the modern era, Daei made his name at the 1996 Asian Cup with eight goals including four in the 6-2 quarter-final victory over South Korea.
Iran went on to take third place in the competition with Daei earning a move to Qatari club Al-Sadd. He then joined German side Arminia Bielefeld with fellow Iran star Karim Bagheri.
After seven goals in 25 games in his debut Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich came calling. But the striker was a peripheral figure at the Bavarian giants and, despite scoring six goals in 23 matches and winning the league title, opted to join Hertha Berlin.
He was not a prolific goalscorer in the capital but is influence was keenly felt at Hertha before his transfer to Al Shabab in the UAE. While still in Germany, he played in his first FIFA World Cup in 1998 and continued to lead the line for his country.
Daei scored three goals in the 2000 Asian Cup, taking his tally to a record 11, as Iran fell in the quarter-finals to South Korea.
In the 2004 edition, Iran went out in the semi-finals to China with Daei having scored just once in the tournament at that point. But in the third-place playoff against Bahrain, he converted a late penalty to make it 3-3 before coolly sidefooting home the winner in the 90th minute.
With 14 goals, he is four clear of South Korea's Lee Dong-gook in the all-time Asian Cup goalscoring table. And later in 2004, he became the first man to score 100 international goals with four in a World Cup qualifier against Laos.
Despite advancing years and deteriorating fitness, he played in the 2006 World Cup before retiring with 109 goals in 148 games for Iran. He is one of his country and his continent's greatest ever players.
Nakamura Shunsuke (Japan)
Nakamura Shunsuke acquired fame in Europe due to his spells at Italian club Reggina and Scottish giants Celtic, but he was also one of the greatest players in Asian Cup history.
After shining at Yokohama F. Marinos, the left-footed midfielder helped Japan's U-23 side qualify for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and quickly became a senior national team regular.
Having helped Japan reach the quarter-finals in Sydney, he then played a key role in the Samurai Blue's triumph at the Asian Cup held in Lebanon.
After falling out of favour with coach Philippe Troussier, Nakamura was restored to the starting line-up by new boss Zico in 2002. His spell in Italy's Serie A helped him develop his all-round skills to match his outstanding prowess from free-kicks.
He was named Most Valuable Player at the 2004 Asian Cup in China, scoring twice including a trademark free-kick against Thailand, as Japan retained their title.
Nakamura also scored twice in the 2007 tournament and was successful in the penalty shoot-out win over Australia in the quarter-finals. Despite the side going down to Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the semis and a shoot-out defeat to South Korea in the third-place match, he was named to his third consecutive Team of the Tournament.
After enjoying great success at Celtic - including a memorable free-kick against Manchester United which sent the Glasgow club through to the Champions League knockout stages for the first time - and an unhappy short spell at Spanish club Espanyol, Nakamura returned to Yokohama F. Marinos for seven years.
He eventually ended his career at city rivals Yokohama FC aged 44 while his teammate and fellow former Asian Cup MVP, Miura Kazuyoshi, just kept on playing.
Iraq captain Younis Mahmoud lifts the trophy after his side's 2007 Asian Cup triumph
Younis Mahmoud (Iraq)
The only man to score in four Asian Cup tournaments, Younis Mahmoud is best remembered for leading Iraq to glory in 2007.
Three years prior to that, he played a key role in Iraq's qualification for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and scored in their stunning 4-2 opening win over a Portugal side including a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Iraq finished fourth in that tournament, and Mahmoud - who then played and scored in the 2004 Asian Cup - became captain of the senior side from 2006 for a decade until his retirement.
Despite having to play 'home' matches in Abu Dhabi due to civil war, they qualified for the 2007 Asian Cup and joined the exodus of Iraqi refugees in Jordan before heading to the event jointly held by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Mahmoud scored in Iraq's opening 1-1 draw with Thailand before the side shocked pre-tournament favourites Australia, playing in their first Asian Cup, 3-1 on their way to topping Group A.
The skipper netted both goals in the quarter-final defeat of Vietnam, and a penalty shoot-out win over Republic of Korea sent Iraq through to its first Asian Cup final.
While their exploits were largely celebrated back home, dozens were killed in suicide bombings targeting football fans in the capital Baghdad. Having considered pulling out of the final, Iraq's players opted to play on after watching a TV interview in which one victim's mother asked them to do so in his memory.
Saudi Arabia awaited in the final, and Mahmoud's header from a corner 18 minutes from time proved to be the only goal of the game. As well as clinching the most unlikely of triumphs, that also made him the tournament's joint-leading scorer with four.
Mahmoud, the sole non-European based outfield player to make the Ballon d'Or shortlist that year, had attracted the interest of several European clubs but visa restrictions meant his family would be unable to accompany him and he opted to stay in Qatar.
He continued to be a mainstay of the national side, playing at two more Asian Cups and taking his tally to eight goals in four tournaments.
Tim Cahill (Australia)
Australia joined the AFC in 2006 and played in their first Asian Cup a year later with Japan ending their title hopes in the quarter-finals.
Tim Cahill, by this point a star for English Premier League side Everton thanks to his all-action midfield play and aerial prowess, was restricted to substitute appearances due to ongoing foot and knee injuries. But he still managed to score Australia's first Asian Cup goal to earn a point against Oman in the 92nd minute.
In 2011, he repeated the trick with two goals in the opening group game win over India. But he did not find the net again in the tournament with Japan once more dashing the Socceroos' hopes, this time 1-0 in the final thanks to Lee Tadanari's extra-time winner.
Four years later on home soil, Cahill again scored his side's first goal of the tournament in a 4-1 win over Kuwait. And his second-half brace against China in Brisbane sent the hosts through to the semi-finals.
While he would not score again, and injury saw him substituted an hour into the final, Cahill was able to celebrate after James Troisi's extra-time strike sealed a 2-1 triumph over South Korea.
As well as being Australia's first Asian Cup goalscorer, Cahill opened the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup account in the 2006 tournament. With a record 50 goals from 108 caps, many of them with his head despite being no giant at 1.78m tall, he is arguably Australia's greatest ever player.
Honda Keisuke (Japan)
A versatile and creative midfielder, Honda Keisuke helped Japan's U-23 side qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where they failed to win a point in three group games.
In the months preceding Beijing, Honda had already joined Dutch club VVV-Venlo from Nagoya Grampus Eight, and made his full international debut.
Despite VVV being relegated in his first season in the Netherlands, Honda stayed with the side and was key to their return to the Eredivisie at the first attempt. But after scoring six goals in 16 league games at the start of the 2009/10 campaign, he would sign for Russian giants CSKA Moscow.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Honda with his distinctive bleached-orange hair captured the attention of football fans worldwide. After scoring the winner against Cameroon in Japan's opener, he found the net with an audacious swerving, dipping free-kick from well over 30 metres out against Denmark. A Cruyff Turn late on to set up Okazaki Shinji's game-clinching strike earned him his second Man of the Match award in two games.
That tournament would end in disappointment with a last-16 exit to Paraguay on penalties, but the following year's Asian Cup was a different story.
With Honda the team's main creative force following Nakamura Shunsuke's international retirement, he starred in an epic semi-final against perennial rivals South Korea. After creating the opening goal, he saw his penalty in extra-time saved but Hosogai Hajime smashed home the rebound.
And after the Koreans had levelled to force penalties, he coolly converted the first spot-kick as Japan progressed to the final.
Australia dominated for most of the championship game with Japan indebted to goalkeeper Kawashima Eiji. And Lee Tadanari's volley in extra time saw the Samurai Blue secure a third Asian Cup in four tournaments with Honda receiving the MVP award.
Honda secured a move to AC Milan at the start of 2014 and, later that year, became the first Asian man to score in two FIFA World Cups.
He scored three times in the 2015 Asian Cup, but missed Japan's first penalty in the quarter-final shoot-out defeat to United Arab Emirates.
Honda became the only man to register goals and assists in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups before announcing his international retirement after 37 goals in 98 games. He had club spells in Mexico, Australia and back in the Netherlands before a well-publicised move to Brazilian side Botafogo.
Son Heung-min (Republic of Korea)
The only current player to make the list, Son Heung-min has established himself as one of the world's top players thanks to his club exploits in Germany and England.
Having left the FC Seoul academy to join German club Hamburg aged 16, he made his Bundesliga debut in the 2010-11 season. He scored his first league goal less than four months after his 18th birthday and, weeks later, was called up by the national team for the 2011 Asian Cup.
Son made two substitute appearances in the group stages, scoring his first international goal to cap a 4-1 win over India which made him the youngest goalscorer in Asian Cup history.
And it was his blocked effort in the dying seconds of extra time which fell to Hwang Jae-won who shot home to force a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final against eventual champions Japan.
He continued to impress at club level and comparisons were drawn with legendary South Korea striker Cha Bum-kun, who scored nearly 100 Bundesliga goals between 1979 and 1989 while at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen.
While his versatility sees him equally happy as an attacking midfielder, wing-back, second striker or front man, Son's knack for finding the net saw him become a more regular starter for Hamburg.
He tallied 12 goals in the 2012-13 season, prompting Bayer Leverkusen to sign the exciting youngster who would soon cement his place in the national team starting XI. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, he scored once as South Korea went out in the group stages.
Midway through his second season at Leverkusen, he went to the Asian Cup as Korea's main attacking threat. After three 1-0 wins in the group stages, their quarter-final with Uzbekistan was goalless until Son headed home from close range at the end of the first half of extra time before adding a second late on. And after a 2-0 win over Iraq, they met Australia in what turned out to be a thrilling final.
With the Socceroos one-up with 90 minutes on the clock, Son fired home to send the match into extra time. But James Troisi clinched victory for the hosts.
After one game in the 2015-16 campaign, Son moved to North London side Tottenham and has gone from strength to strength. He has continued to star for his country and scored twice at Rio 2016 as South Korea made the quarter-finals before falling to Honduras.
As well as scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win which eliminated reigning champions Germany from the 2018 World Cup, he also led South Korea to the 2018 Asian Games title - which exempted the entire squad from mandatory military service - before taking over as captain.
His intense workload in England contributed to a lacklustre showing in the 2019 Asian Cup with the Reds going out to eventual winners Qatar in the quarter-finals. But he shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Mo Salah after scoring 23 goals in the 2021-22 league campaign and, after leading South Korea out of the group stages at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals.
Now he hopes to help secure South Korea's first Asian Cup title since 1960.