As we edge ever closer to January's continental showpiece, the 24 AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 participants continue their preparations with the latest round of international friendlies taking place across the world this week.

Exciting call-ups, young and old, tactical decisions in the making and intriguing clashes all await over the next 10 days. So, join us as we take a look at some of the most interesting things to watch out for this international break.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Koo has been diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis. The FC Augsburg midfielder is also expected to miss German Bundesliga matches.

Koo, who has 19 goals in 70 matches, was looking to make his first appearance since Paulo Bento took over as head coach in August. He didn't play in Korea Republic's friendly matches against Costa Rica and Chile last month.

India, who are preparing for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 UAE, will play China PR on October 13 at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.

The 29-member squad will assemble in New Delhi on Monday for the two-day camp before they leave for China PR on Wednesday.

Arnold’s squad selections for October’s FIFA window includes 21-players that featured in the Socceroos’ recent training camp in Turkey, and also marks the returns of attacking weapons Mathew Leckie and Tom Rogic to the squad for the first time since the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The squad that will convene in the UAE from Monday features four players yet to make their senior international debuts – youngsters Thomas Deng (21), Denis Genreau (19), and Awer Mabil (23) – as well as 25-year-old attacker Martin Boyle. While Deng, Genreau, and Mabil will each be aiming to achieve maiden match minutes for the Socceroos in Kuwait City, Boyle will travel with the squad for the UAE leg of the camp only.

You cast well over a million votes for your best-ever AFC Asian Cup forward, and now it's time to turn our attention to midfielders.

So, here are 10 candidates for the spots at the middle of the park. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite midfielders to set the tempo for this all-star XI in the poll below.

Iran won the last of their titles in 1976 and Quieroz said this is a wait that must end.

“My responsibility as a coach is to lead my team to our target. Our biggest challenge in the UAE is winning the title. We’ve not won the title since 1976,” the former Real Madrid coach said to the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran website.

Iran are in Group D alongside Iraq, Vietnam and Yemen and their first target will be to navigate into the knockout stage in UAE 2019 on January 5-February 1.

We begin with nine candidates for the two spots up front. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite targetmen to lead the line for this all-star XI in the poll below.