Japan's Asian champion Uchida calls time on career

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Japan's Asian champion Uchida calls time on career

Tokyo: Japan’s AFC Asian Cup and AFC Champions League-winning defender Atsuto Uchida will retire when his contract expires at the end of the month, the full-back’s current club Kashima Antlers announced on Thursday.

The 32-year-old, who won the AFC Asian Cup with the Samurai Blue in Qatar in 2011 before playing a role in Kashima’s AFC Champions League win in 2018, will play his last game as a professional on August 23 when Antlers take on Gamba Osaka in the J.League.

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Ali Daei (IRN) vs Sun Ke (CHN) || Saeed Al Owairan (KSA) vs Kim Jung-woo (KOR) 

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Ali Daei (IRN) vs Sun Ke (CHN) || Saeed Al Owairan (KSA) vs Kim Jung-woo (KOR) 

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Asian Cup has always captivated audiences with its moments of sheer genius, brilliant celebrations and - above all - stunning goals. 

Legends and national heroes have made their impact on the Continental stage, and we close off the AFC Asian Cup Bracket Challenge Round of 32 with four iconic goals from Islamic Republic of Iran's Ali Daei, Sun Ke of China PR, Saudi Arabia's Saeed Al Owairan and Kim Jung-woo of Korea Republic.

Who will move on to the next round? Cast your votes below!

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Tim Cahill (AUS) vs Ismail Abdul Latif (BHR) || Alexander Geynrikh (UZB) vs Pak Kwang-ryong (PRK) 

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Tim Cahill (AUS) vs Ismail Abdul Latif (BHR) || Alexander Geynrikh (UZB) vs Pak Kwang-ryong (PRK) 

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Asian Cup has always captivated audiences with its moments of sheer genius, brilliant celebrations and - above all - stunning goals. 

Many players have impressed in the AFC Asian Cup throug the years and four of them – Australia's Tim Cahill, Ismail Abdul Latif of Bahrain, Uzbekistan's Alexander Geynrikh and Pak Kwang-ryong of DPR Korea - are featured in today's Bracket Challenge.

Which goal is your favourite? Cast your votes below!

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Shunsuke Nakamura (JPN) vs Abbas Chahrour (LBN) || Le Cong Vinh (VIE) vs Jaka Ihbeisheh (PLE)

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Bracket Challenge - Ro32: Shunsuke Nakamura (JPN) vs Abbas Chahrour (LBN) || Le Cong Vinh (VIE) vs Jaka Ihbeisheh (PLE)

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Asian Cup has always captivated audiences with its moments of sheer genius, brilliant celebrations and - above all - stunning goals. 

As we approach the end of the AFC Asian Cup Bracket Challenge's Round of 32, today's selections – Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura against Abbas Chahrour of Lebanon and Vietnam's Le Cong Vinh facing Jaka Ihbeisheh of Palestine – feature outstanding goals.

Which goal is your favourite? Cast your votes below!

The most popular football clubs: Malaysia

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

The most popular football clubs: Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: As is the case across most of Southeast Asia, the passion for football in Malaysia is intense and matches between the top sides can sell out venues the country over as decades-old rivalries continue to excite. 

With the Malaysia Super League set to resume on August 22, we continue our 'most popular' series by focusing on the nation's biggest clubs and ask you to vote for your favourite.

Below we've selected six sides based on their success over the years. Review the candidates and tell us which team you like best at the bottom of the article.

Kyrgyz Republic’s Alykulov chasing a slice of European history

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Kyrgyz Republic’s Alykulov chasing a slice of European history

Almaty: 2019 Kyrgyz Republic Player of the Year Gulzhigit Alykulov is back on the pitch, and has his sights set on becoming the first man from his country to appear in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Having signed for Kazkakhstan Premier League runners-up outfit FC Kairat in January, Alykulov now finds himself in European competition for the first time, with the club to begin their qualifying campaign against Armenian newcomers FC Noah next Thursday.

Asia’s elite bidding for European glory

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Asia’s elite bidding for European glory

Kuala Lumpur: Europe’s most prestigious women’s club football competition, the UEFA Women’s Champions League, is poised for a thrilling finale, and some of Asia’s biggest stars will be in the thick of the action.

A full 10 months after the completion of the Round of 16, the race for continental glory will finally resume in Europe, with the last eight clubs to battle for the title in a centralised knockout tournament in Spain.

With all four of the quarter-finals featuring a player or coach from an AFC member nation, the-AFC.com examines the contenders ahead of Friday’s kick-off.