From Saudi Arabia to Japan and beyond, the vast continent of Asia contains some of the most football-mad populations on earth.
And it’s produced its fair share of top players throughout history, from World Cup trailblazers to Premier League superstars.
Here, FourFourTwo counts down the greatest Asian footballers of all time…
10. Mehdi Mahdavikia (Iran)
Asian Footballer of the Year in 2003, Iranian icon Mehdi Mahdavikia enjoyed a distinguished career on the right flank for Hamburg and Tehran giants Persepolis, among others.
Capped 110 times by his country, Mahdavikia played at the 1998 and 2006 World Cups, in addition to helping Team Melli to third-placed finishes at the 1996 and 2004 Asian Cups.
9. Ali Daei (Iran)
With 108 goals in 148 caps, Ali Daei was the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer for more than 15 years (eventually losing that crown to a certain Mr Ronaldo).
Voted AFC Asian Footballer of the Year in 1999 – having won the Bundesliga title and reached the Champions League final with Bayern Munich – Daei played at the 1998 and 2006 World Cups (sporting a sublime moustache at the former).
8. Shinji Kagawa (Japan)
Having spent most of his career with two of Europe’s biggest clubs – Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund – Shinji Kagawa is one of the most prominent footballers in Japan’s history.
A Premier League and Bundesliga champion, the adaptable playmaker helped his country to victory at the 2011 Asian Cup and featured at the 2014 World Cup.
7. Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
In 1998, 77-cap Japan international Hidetoshi Nakata became the first Asian player ever to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or (he was nominated three times in the space of four years, in fact).
A highly gifted, tirelessly hard-working midfielder, Nakata spent the bulk of his career in Serie A – where he won the 2000/01 Scudetto with Roma – and finished his playing days in the Premier League, on loan at Bolton Wanderers.
6. Kim Joo-sung (South Korea)
Nicknamed ‘Wild Horse’ for his long, wavy hair, Kim Joo-sung was one of South Korea’s first footballing superstars, earning 76 caps for the Taegeuk Warriors from 1985 to 1996.
A swashbuckling winger who could also operate as a sweeper, Kim played almost exclusively for South Korean club Daewoo Royals – but he did have a loan spell at German outfit Bochum, where he won the 1993/94 2. Bundesliga title.
5. Paulino Alcantara (Philippines)
For 87 years, Paulino Alcantara held Barcelona’s record for the most goals in official and friendly matches (a certain Mr Messi surpassed his total of 369 in 2014).
Born in the Philippines, Alcantara moved to Barcelona aged three as his family fled their homeland in the aftermath of revolution. He went on to win five Copas del Rey with the Blaugrana.
While he later played for Spain, the striker did represent the Philippines at international level, starring in a 15-2 victory over Japan at the 1917 Far Eastern Games.
4. Park Ji-sung (South Korea)
Sir Alex Ferguson described Park Ji-sung as one of the most underrated players he ever worked with – and went as far as to claim that Manchester United would have won the 2011 Champions League final against Barcelona had he brought the South Korean great on to man-mark Lionel Messi (Park was part of United’s Champions League-winning squad three years earlier, though).
That’s the regard in which the 100-cap midfielder – who starred in his nation’s run to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals – was (and still is) held.
3. Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Japan’s greatest player of all time, the incredibly entertaining Keisuke Honda scored 37 goals in 98 caps for the Samurai Blue and was named 2010 Japanese Footballer of the Year.
A year later, the ex-AC Milan and CSKA Moscow set-piece specialist – who struck an outrageous 30-yard free-kick against Denmark at the 2010 World Cup – helped his country to Asian Cup victory.
2. Cha Bum-kun (South Korea)
Among the first Asian players to establish themselves in Europe, Cha Bum-kun is an absolute icon of South Korean football. The explosive winger amassed 136 caps for his country from 1972 to 1986, scoring 58 goals and featuring at the 1986 World Cup.
Cha made over 150 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt and more than 200 for Bayer Leverkusen, lifting the UEFA Cup with both clubs.
1. Son Heung-min (South Korea)
South Korea’s biggest sporting superstar – and arguably the biggest in Asia – Son Heung-min made history in 2023 by becoming the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals.
Joint Golden Boot winner in 2021/22, the Tottenham legend – who has represented his nation at multiple World Cups – was bestowed with the 2020 Puskas Award for this simply sensational solo goal against Burnley.
