Despite a record at senior level that marks them out amongst the leaders of the continental game, the Iranians travel to Thailand with their eyes fixed on securing one of the three tickets for the Tokyo Olympics.

The Central Asian nation has not qualified for the Olympiad since featuring in Munich in 1972 and Estili concedes that fact brings with it added scrutiny on him and his players.

The quartet will go into the campaign on the back of a strong 2019 and, in what is likely to be a closely contested group, their countries' hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds of the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 could rest upon their form in front of goal in Southeast Asia.

A group that involves four of Asia's biggest sides in Qatar, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Syria is set up to be one of the most intriguing, with some of the Continent's best next generation on display.

We have selected a player from each side who could be the stand-out.

Songkhla is set to feature a feast of football with five of Group C's six fixtures taking place in southern Thailand. Taking to the field at Tinsulanon Stadium will be defending champions Uzbekistan, perennial contenders Korea Republic, China PR and Islamic Republic of Iran.

We have picked out four players capable of shining in Songkhla.

While Vietnam will start the campaign as favourites, there's plenty to suggest talented Jordan, United Arab Emirates and DPR Korea sides can challenge the Southeast Asians in what looks an intriguing group.

As the four sides chase two knockout round qualification spots, here's the-AFC.com's pick of the players to look out for.

Australia’s U23 men’s national team for next month’s tournament will feature 14 players representing 8 A-League clubs, with nine members of Graham Arnold’s squad set to arrive in Southeast Asia from overseas-based teams.

At a snow-clad Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Nguyen Quang Hai curled home a stunning free-kick to draw Vietnam level with Uzbekistan in the final with what would later become renowned in the Southeast Asian nation as the ‘Rainbow in the Snow’.

While the young Golden Stars went on to lose the match 2-1 after a goal in the last minute of extra-time, the campaign saw both Quang Hai and a talented young Vietnamese team gain recognition across the Continent and began a two-year period in which they have achieved success after success.

Now, with the 2020 edition set to kick off in Thailand on January 6, Park Hang-seo’s team will begin the competition among the favourites to lift the title and also qualify for the Tokyo Olympics as one of the top three sides.