Japan’s average age among their 23 players for their sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup is 28.3 years – the oldest since the nation qualified for their first appearance in France 1998 under Takeshi Okada.

Kagawa, now 29 and who narrowly missed the final cut for South Africa 2010 at the age of 21, is being counted on by Nishino to lift Japan out of a tough Group H, which has Colombia, Senegal and Poland, into the knockout stage after collecting just one point in Brazil 2014.

Japan – under former AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus boss Alberto Zaccheroni – played Colombia in their last group game in Brazil, a 4-1 defeat that eliminated them from the tournament.

A turbulent nine-month spell since they secured FIFA World Cup qualification in September saw Saudi Arabia part ways with Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, appoint former UAE boss Edgardo Bauza, only to dismiss him only two month later and bring Juan Antonio Pizzi.

Pizzi has since gone on to establish a new tactical identity for the team; one that emphasises the value of pressing high up the pitch and retaining possession for extended period. Whether the six months period since he effectively took over is enough for the players to fully adapt to his ways is arguably the biggest question for the Green Falcons ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Nevertheless, with Son Heung-min – arguably Asia's finest footballer currently playing – and several other young attacking talents in the ranks, the Taeguk Warriors have the potential to excite.

Overview

Set for their ninth consecutive FIFA World Cup, Korea Republic have had a number of pre-Russia 2018 warm-up matches over the last six months with a wide variety of opponents and a series of mixed results. Wins over Moldova, Latvia and Honduras; a draw with Jamaica; losses to Northern Ireland, Poland and Bosnia and Herezegovina.

At the time of writing, Shin Tae-yong's side are yet to face Bolivia and Senegal in their final ties before they kick off their World Cup campaign against Sweden on June 18, but it seems the side are yet to settle on a line-up with a 3-5-2 formation the latest experiment in the defeat to Bosnia.

Overview

With three of their six planned pre-World Cup friendlies cancelled, IR Iran’s preparations have been less than ideal. But with an abundance of talent across the squad, Queiroz will still be confident of a strong showing in Russia.

Drawn in the so-called “Group of Death” alongside the last two European champions; Spain and Portugal as well as Morocco, many believe Team Melli have their work cut out for them.

However, a defence that conceded just five goals in their 18 qualifiers’ games and an attack line boasting some of the continent’s finest forwards could cause upsets if the Portuguese coach gets his tactics right.

Overview

Japan’s preparation for Russia 2018 has not been the most straightforward of Asia's representatives, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic departing the helm just two months before the competition to be replaced with technical director Akira Nishino.

The former Gamba Osaka boss attempted a new three-man defence in his first match in charge, a 2-0 defeat at home to Ghana on May 30, as well as offering a reprieve to big names Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, and Shinji Okazaki, whose places were in doubt under Halilhodzic.

The FIFA World Cup is without a doubt the grandest stage in world football, and it comes as no surprise that a strong showing at just one tournament could massively shape a player's career in the years to come. As such, here are a number of players that could possibly propel themselves into the spotlight when the tournament kicks off in just over two weeks' time.

With the 2018 FIFA World Cup just weeks away from kicking off in Russia, with Saudi Arabia playing the host nation in the opening match in Moscow on 14 June, we take a look at five iconic goals scored by Asian players in FIFA World Cup history.