All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das said it’s important India play “stronger opposition” in their quest to prepare better for the AFC Asian Cup.

“Oman are a very strong team. We were drawn against them in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and are aware of their quality and strength. It will be the perfect test for our boys as they gear up for the AFC Asian Cup,” Das said.

“I need to thank the Oman Football Federation for agreeing to play the match in Abu Dhabi,” he added.

With just 40 days to go before the Continental showpiece kicks off with hosts United Arab Emirates taking on Bahrain in the tournament opener, the-AFC.com takes a look at the 24 tacticians who will lead the Continent’s best in the biggest and best ever AFC Asian Cup.

There will be new faces in charge as several teams, including three of the five Asian teams who featured in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, will have new head coaches.

We take a look at the head coaches of Groups A, B and C.

There will be a mix of new and old as several head coaches have been with their teams for years while some will be leading their sides into a major competition for the first time.

We take a look at the head coaches of Groups D, E and F.

Despite the likes of Nawaf Al Abed and Yahya Al Shehri possessing unmatched raw talent in Saudi Arabian football, it is Al Dawsari who has excelled at both club and country level to become arguably the Green Falcons' most dangerous player.

Nationality: Saudi Arabia Date of birth: 19/08/1991 Position: Attack Current club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) Previous clubs: Villareal (Spain, loan)

The seven-a-side event sees teams organised by their representative nations, mirroring the format of the AFC Asian Cup. The top 24 qualifying teams are set to battle it out in a final, frenzied day of competition on January 19 for UAE bragging rights and the ultimate money-can’t-buy experience at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

With over 650 goals scored through 144 games, the tournament has proven to be intensely competitive, with the UAE team from Sharjah emerging as tournament favourites after topping their group with three impressive wins and a tournament high of 21 goals. Teams representing Saudi Arabia, Philippines, India and Oman have also impressed, booking their tickets to the Asian Community Cup finals.

While Asia's biggest teams took their customary place in the glittering draw in Dubai last May, there are several national sides who will be making their debuts in the Finals or returning to the Continental showpiece after having missed out on several editions.

Over the years, the AFC Asian Cup has produced some brilliant footballers and coaches. So, we gave fans the opportunity to vote for who they considered as the greatest 11 players in the competition's history.

After 2.6 million votes on the-AFC.com over the past few weeks, it is now time to announce the players who made the final XI alongside six substitutes who narrowly missed out on a starting XI place.