Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After a breakthrough season in which he helped Al Sadd reach the 2018 AFC Champions League semi-finals, Akram Afif is set to take on his first AFC Asian Cup next month.
Despite being just 22, Akram Afif already has playing experience in Belgium and Spain, the Qatari midfielder will look to cement his status as one of Asia's top talents during January's AFC Asian Cup.
Nationality: Qatar
Date of birth: 18/11/1996
Position: Midfield
Current club: Al Sadd (Qatar)
Previous clubs: Eupen (Belgium), Villarreal, Sporting Gijon (both Spain)
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/akram_afif_qatar_u23_v_uzbekistan.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/akram_afif_qatar-celebrate.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Lugano: Qatar scored a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Switzerland in an international friendly on Wednesday as the West Asian side ramped up preparations for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Akram Afif was the hero, scoring the winner four minutes from time to stun World No 8 Switzerland at the Cornadero Stadium in Lugano, Switzerland.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With our fans’ vote AFC Asian Cup XI due to be released on Friday, we take a look at some alternative XIs from some of the experts of the Asian Game.
Now that you have had your say on who the best XI in the history of AFC Asian Cup are, it is time to consult three Asian football experts about their choice of the perfect XI, ahead of announcing the winners of the vote later this week. The-AFC.com spoke to a journalist, a player and a coach, all with long-standing association with the AFC Asian Cup.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Top scorer of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Ali Mabkhout has grown in importance for the host nation as they look to win their first ever title.
If Omar Abdulrahman was the poster boy for the United Arab Emirates’ success in reaching the AFC Asian Cup last time out in Australia, and finishing third, then Ali Mabkhout was the side’s most productive performer.
The Whites’ number 7 was the tournament’s top goalscorer in 2015, bagging five goals in six appearances, including the fastest ever goal in the history of the AFC Asian Cup, scored 14 seconds into the UAE’s group stage match against Bahrain.
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
Kuala Lumpur: It has been a mixed 12 months for Syria’s Omar Khribin, from losing the 2017 AFC Champions League final, to winning the AFC Player of the Year Award a few days later, to coming within a whisker of reaching the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His next challenge? The AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Syria were very close to making the FIFA World Cup for the first time, but they fell in the Continental playoff, with Australia going on to become Asia's fifth representative in Russia 2018. A "golden generation" spearheaded by Khribin and his strike partner Omar Al Somah looks to make amends in UAE 2019.
Nationality: Syria
Date of birth: 15/01/1994
Position: Striker
Current club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Previous clubs: Al Wahda (Syria), Air Force Club, Al Mina’ (Iraq), Al Dhafra (UAE)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Perhaps no single player in the continent is as important for their home nation as Sunil Chhetri has been for India over the past decade.
India have booked their place amongst Asia's top 24 national teams thanks in a large part to Sunil Chhetri, who - even at the age of 34- continues to be unrivalled as the country's best player and widely acknowledged as the finest footballer it has ever produced.
Nationality: India
Date of birth: 03/08/1984
Position: Striker
Current club: JSW Bengaluru (India)
Previous clubs: Mohun Bagan, JCT, East Bengal, Dempo, Chirag United, Churchill Brothers, Mumbai City (All India); Sporting B (Portugal)