Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Already a legend at club level with Shanghai SIPG, 27-year-old Wu Lei is looking to emulate his goal-scoring exploits in China PR colours at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 in January.
Although he has never played his club football abroad, Wu Lei is widely regarded as one of the top players to have emerged from China PR over the past decade. His two nominations of the AFC Player of the Year award - he finished third in both 2016 and 2017 - are testament to his status in Asian football.
Nationality: China PR
Date of birth: 19/11/1991
Position: Winger
Current club: Shanghai SIPG
Previous clubs: None
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/wu_lei_chn_ls_jpg_2.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Lebanon qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time after playing in the 2000 edition as the host country. And Hassan Maatouk’s contribution has been crucial to their success.
Despite boasting a host of foreign-based players, Maatouk, who returned to Lebanon after six years in UAE football, remains Lebanon’s talisman. He helped the Cedars qualify for UAE 2019 with five goals in six matches.
Nationality: Lebanon
Date of birth: 08/10/1987
Position: Forward
Current club: Nejmeh SC (Lebanon)
Previous clubs: Al Ahed (Lebanon), Ajman, Al Shaab, Fujairah (All UAE)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After a stellar 2018 AFC Cup campaign, Musa Al Taamari made the switch to Cyprus. In January, he could be Jordan's only Europe-based player.
Having reached the quarter-finals in two of their previous three AFC Asian Cup campaigns, Jordan have big hopes for the 2019 edition, and 20-year-old Al Taamari is the poster boy for the nation's ambitions.
Nationality: Jordan Date of birth: 10/06/1997 Position: Winger Current club: APOEL (Cyprus) Previous clubs: Al Jazeera, Shabab Al Ordon (both in Jordan)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Vietnam boast an exciting young crop of players that have excelled at youth levels in recent years, with gifted midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai arguably the biggest talent of the side heading to the United Arab Emirates.
The Southeast Asian nation had never previously qualified for the AFC Asian Cup, having appeared as co-hosts in 2007 (South Vietnam played in 1956 and 1960), but Quang Hai and his teammates have raised hopes that the current generation could go on to achieve something special.
Nationality: Vietnam
Date of birth: 12/04/1997
Position: Midfield
Current club: Hanoi FC (Vietnam)
Previous club: Saigon FC (Vietnam)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Islamic Republic of Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz has named a provisional squad of 35 players for the AFC Asian Cup 2019.
Queiroz, preparing Iran for what Team Melli hope will be a first AFC Asian Cup title since 1976, will announce his final squad on December 15 ahead of the training camp in Doha, Qatar.
Iran are also scheduled to play a friendly match with Qatar during the training camp.
Three-time champions Iran are in Group D of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 along with Iraq, Yemen and Vietnam.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: When the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 gets underway next month there will be more than 550 players hoping to have a celebration as the final concludes on February 1, but before that there are plenty amongst that number who will be having a smaller party of their own given that their birthday falls during the four-week extravaganza.
22 of the 24 participating nations will likely have a birthday boy amongst their ranks, with 2007 winners Iraq heading the list given they could potentially have seven players set to blow out the candles should they progress to at least the quarter-finals.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: Milovan Rajevac is expecting his trio of Japan-trained players to enhance the level of his squad when Thailand return to the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in more than a decade, with their sights set on a place in the knockout rounds of the UAE 2019 finals.
Thailand last played at the continental championship when the country co-hosted the 2007 edition with Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia and they have been drawn to face hosts the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and India in Group A.
In six previous appearances, the War Elephants have only progressed beyond the group phase once – that was in 1972 when they finished in third position – but with Rajevac able to add Chanathip Songkrasin (pictured above), Teerasil Dangda and Theerathon Bunmathan to his squad, the Serb is confident his team can have a successful January.