Knockout stage turning riskier: Top players to look for in AFC Asian Cup 2023

The prominent AFC Asian Cup 2023 kicked off in Qatar on January 12 as the hosts and defending champions faced Lebanon at the iconic Lusail Stadium in Group A. Players from the best leagues have put their club commitments on hold to compete in the tournament.

Following Tuesday’s thrilling Group C conclusion, more than half of the arguably strongest-ever Asian Cup’s round of 16 has been determined. Qatar and Tajikistan have moved on from Group A, and Australia and Uzbekistan continue on from Group B.

Iran and the UAE topped Group C in the tournament. Meanwhile, Syria and Palestine have clinched spots as two of the four best third-place teams and are set to move on. Group D, E and F have yet to be decided, but all three groups feature tight races.

Players expected to shine more in Asian Cup 2023

1. Son Heung-min: South Korea

The 31-year-old leads Tottenham Hotspur, of the top sides vying for the coveted English Premier League title. Son is one of the biggest stars expected to further light up the Qatar tournament. But is he capable and lucky enough to lead South Korea to a third title?

2. Salem Al-Dawsari: Saudi Arabia

He holds the fame of scoring arguably the most popular goal in the Kingdom’s history – an edge-of-the-box screamer that paved the way for his team’s victory against Argentina at the Qatar World Cup 2022. He is expected to perform much better in the ongoing tournament.

3. Mehdi Taremi: Iran

The 31-year-old was runner-up to Kim Min-jae of South Korea as the 2022 Asian International Player of the Year. Before the beginning of the Asian Cup 2023, he had already scored 43 goals in 76 international appearances.

4. Akram Afif: Qatar

He plays for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League and is one of the biggest local players. The 27-year-old had already scored 23 goals in 93 international appearances before the tournament. Afif scored the decisive third goal as Qatar beat Japan in the final of the 2019 Asian Cup.

5. Takefusa Kubo: Japan

The prominent footballer had only just turned 18 four days prior to his Japan debut in 2019. Before the ongoing series, he had made 29 appearances for his country, scoring 3 goals. Kubo has lit up La Liga this season with 9 goal contributions for Real Sociedad.

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