'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABkAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAEDAwMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEISIFIzESExQzgQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAURAAMAAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEQADBCESEyL/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMA6RVzs0Wu9fejZGYHiNm2GnK3TkXC1+FJ+KJdw8vyP1EVTlM/p41d2qExnJFs6uB1BfPb8qI06UDP/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Sardar Azmoun
Fondly dubbed as the Iranian Lionel Messi, Azmoun has been one of Asia's best players since his move to Europe in 2013.
As an 18-year-old then, Azmoun left Sepahan in his native Iran to join Rubin Kazan in Russia. Since then, he has stayed in Russia and has become one of the best strikers to grace that league. This season, he made a move to Bayer Leverkusen on a free.
After spending four seasons in two different spells at Kazan, he has also moved to Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg from Rubin.
However, like many big players in the continent, Azmoun has not yet won the AFC Asian Cup, which will be a prime motivation for him.
In the last edition in the UAE, Iran were well-beaten in the semifinal by Japan.
#2 Takumi Minamino
Minamino found life tough after moving to Liverpool from RB Salzburg in January 2020. He struggled to find game-time in Jurgen Klopp's side at the moment. The player was loaned to Southampton for the second half of the 2020-21 season. In the 2022 summer transfer window, Minamino was sold to Marseille.
However, there were enough glimpses of just how good Minamino could be during his time with RB Salzburg and his appearances with the Japanese national team.
Like Hwang, the Japanese was one of those who was thrust into the limelight during his stint with RB Salzburg in Austria. In a side that also contained Erling Haaland, Minamino was reportedly singled out for praise by the Liverpool players.
It was also reported that the players themselves urged Klopp to proceed with bringing Minamino to Anfield.
Even though he hasn't quite managed to hit the heights expected from him at Anfield, he still has age on his side.
#1 Son Heung-min
The undisputed superstar of Asian Football, there is also a good case to be made for Son being the only current world-class player from the continent.
He has consistently been near the top of the Premier League goal-scoring charts in the last few seasons. Son is contending for the Premier League Golden Boot once again this season.
Son also won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, which enabled him to exempt himself from the mandatory military service in South Korea.
However, he still hasn't won the AFC Asian Cup with South Korea. In 2019, he only joined the team for the competition's knockout stages, where they lost in the semifinal to eventual champions Qatar.
