German coach Gert Engels handed Park his debut with the J.League club and tells the-AFC.com about the formative years of one of Asia’s greatest ever players.

When Gert Engels talks about Park Ji-sung, the same characteristic is mentioned time and again: stability. From the moment he first set eyes on footage of Park playing for Myongji University, it was the youngster’s unerring approach that stood out for the former Yokohama Flugels and Kyoto Purple Sanga coach.

It wasn’t Egy Maulana Vikri, the Lechia Gdansk forward who had already accumulated multiple senior international caps and more than a million followers online.

It wasn’t Rafli Mursalim, the promising striker who had bagged nine goals in standout displays at the past two AFF Youth tournaments.

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To select the candidates for each position, we have reflected on match data from FIFA World Cups dating all the way back to 1966 and presented a statistics-based approach to highlight the players who have shone brightest on the biggest stage of all.

We start our series of articles with the three candidates in contention for the all-important number one jersey. With a combined 11 FIFA World Cup editions between them, the trio boast a wealth of experience at the global showpiece. So, review the nominees and then choose your favourite goalkeeper to helm the rearguard for this all-star XI in the poll below.

The East Asians stunned the world when they beat powerhouse Italy 1-0 in a 1966 Group Four tie to become the first nation outside of Europe and the Americas to seal a place in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final.

Pak Doo-ik scored what remains one of the FIFA World Cup's most famous goals, but it was team effort which took DPR Korea through to the last eight where they again amazed before losing 5-3 to a Eusébio-inspired Portugal.

To select the candidates for each position, we have reflected on match data from the tournament to draw up a statistics-based approach to present the outstanding performers.

We begin with five candidates for the all-important number one shirt. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite goalkeeper to helm the rearguard for this all-star XI in the poll below.

But while a long list of Dutch stars have become household names, the country also has a history of welcoming some of Asia’s outstanding players.

From 1980s pioneers like Huh Jung-moo and Fandi Ahmad to the stars of the modern game, the Eredivisie has played host to some of the continent’s best and brightest, making it a league of interest for generations of Asian fans.

Our list features several title winners and a league top goal scorer, but which of these icons deserves the title of Asia’s best?

Here are our nominees: