Scout report: The players to watch at the AFC Asian Cup
This winter’s AFC Asian Cup promises to be an eye-catching event, given the growth of Asian football in recent years.
And there is an added sense of competitiveness surrounding this edition of the tournament, with a whole host of high-quality teams in the running to be crowned continental champions.
We’ve enlisted the help of Twenty3’s Toolbox, to identify some of the players who could stand out in Qatar.
Ali Al-Hamadi (Iraq)
Ali Al-Hamadi is ready to spearhead Iraq’s pursuit of a second Asian Cup, having won it once before in 2007.
He has been in fantastic form for League Two side AFC Wimbledon.
The 21-year-old has scored 13 league goals this term but is also contributing more broadly, with six assists to his name — the joint-third highest total in England’s fourth tier.
That output should not come as a surprise given he registered 0.59 goals per 90 minutes the previous season, which was the fourth most in the division.
The hot prospect made his debut for the national team in 2021 and has racked up 11 appearances since, notching three goals.
Despite only playing in League Two, Al-Hamadi could make a name for himself in Qatar and potentially earn a move up the footballing pyramid.
Cho Gue-Sung (South Korea)
South Korea have one of the most star-studded squads at the tournament, including Tottenham captain Son Heung-Min.
But it could be Cho Gue-Sung who provides the clinical edge that the Taegeuk Warriors need to become three-time champions.
At the World Cup in Qatar, he came on as a substitute and scored twice against Ghana in a 3-2 group stage loss.
That saw him rise to stardom in South Korea, before earning a low-key move to Midtjylland in Denmark.
Despite that switch not garnering too much attention, he is quietly having an impressive season in Jutland.
He has scored eight goals in the Danish Superliga — the third-highest total of any player — and with an xG of 8.6 it is safe to say he finishes most chances that come his way.
If the 25-year-old striker enjoys a successful tournament, he could attract attention from a more prestigious club in Europe.
Bruno Fornaroli (Australia)
Despite only playing two games for Australia, veteran Bruno Fornaroli could be a difference-maker in Qatar.
The Uruguay-born forward recently switched allegiances and has been in sensational scoring form for Melbourne Victory.
He has struck 13 times in just ten A-League matches, which works out at a stunning 1.24 goals per 90.
It is also worth noting his xG of 7.72, which means the 36-year-old is significantly overperforming based on the chances he has been presented with.
If Fornaroli continues that electrifying form, the Socceroos will be hard to stop.
Abdukodir Khusanov (Uzbekistan)
Abdukodir Khusanov is a youthful talent who could shine in Qatar.
Uzbekistan are not a side expected to reach the tournament’s latter stages, but they do have one of the competition’s hottest prospects in Khusanov, who will play in central defence.
The 19-year-old was snapped up by Ligue 1 side Lens in the summer and has recently broken into the first team, starting back-to-back games against Nice and Reims in late December.
Despite his lack of experience, he has won the fourth-most loose ball duels per 90 in France’s top flight this season (2.36).
The Tashkent native should have a big future ahead of him, and is certainly a player to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
Keito Nakamura (Japan)
Keito Nakamura comes alive when he wears the Samurai Blue shirt.
The 23-year-old, who primarily plays on the left flank, has scored five goals in as many appearances for Japan — albeit in international friendlies.
Nakamura could give his country the edge in the tournament’s latter stages, potentially even off the bench.
Since moving to Reims in the summer he has not been in particularly lethal form, only scoring twice in Ligue 1.
However, he grabbed 14 league goals last season for his previous club LASK.
If manager Hajime Moriyasu can fine tune this raw talent, Japan may have found their new attacking weapon.
All visualisations in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.