Six of the Best Asian Players at World Cup 2022
Joji Imamiya
In an Asian World Cup, all the focus so far has been on Messi and Ronaldo's final hurrah, or whether Neymar can write his name in Brazilian history books alongside Pele or Ronaldo Nazario at his third attempt. In this column, Soccerphile unearths six players - one from each Asian nation who do not play in the five major leagues but might spring a surprise or two and attract attention on the world stage.
Firas Al-Buraikan (Saudi Arabia, Al-Fateh)
The poacher for an efficient Saudi Arabian team, 22-year-old Al-Buraikan burst onto the third-round qualification scene when he poked in the only goal in a 1-0 win versus Japan in October 2021. Coach Hervé Renard had solidified his legacy as one of the greatest in Africa with his counter-attacking style by the time he was appointed and took to Asian football like a duck to water with seven wins out of ten in qualifying. In form for mid-table Al-Fateh, the Saudi Pro League was paused in mid-October giving the Green Falcons time to prepare for the big stage as they will face the might of Honduras and Iceland before heading out to Qatar for their first match against Argentina. Major news outlets will focus on the trickery of ex-Villarreal man Salem Al-Dawsari on the wings but without Al-Buraikan doing his best Peter Crouch-esque robot-dancing impressions, the Saudis would not have finished first in their qualifying group.
Karim Ansarifard (IR Iran, Omonia Nicosia)
A journeyman spanning ten clubs but an ever-present for the national team, Karim Ansarifard will play the unenvious role of supplementing Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi of Bayer Leverkusen and FC Porto respectively. Playing for three different Iranian clubs before venturing out to Europe with Osasuna, Ansarifard has had the most success in Greece with Panionios, Olympiacos, and AEK. Having played his first World Cup match in 2014 vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, this will be his third tournament. Quick on the counter and adept at finding spaces, his goal against Manchester United in the Europa League in early October is a brilliant showcase of what he is capable of in Qatar 2022.
Ao Tanaka (Japan, Fortuna Düsseldorf)
The prospects of playing for the Japanese national team while featuring in the 2. Bundesliga might not be good these days but Ao Tanaka is an exception to that rule. Coming through the youth ranks of the famed Kawasaki academy (the same as Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton), he developed his fine footballing intelligence under the tutelage of Toru Oniki, who has already cemented his reputation as one of the greatest J.League managers ever. In Tokyo 2020, along with his ex-teammates Mitoma and Reo Hatate of Celtic, Tanaka started every game as the hosts reached the semi-finals, beating France 4-0 on the way. He has also impressed during the qualification process, as he marked his first start with an early goal against Australia in Saitama late last year. If the Samurai Blue are to play a three-man midfield then his place should be assured but if not he would have to compete with Sporting CP's Hidemasa Morita, who has been superb in the Champions League. Unfortunately for Tanaka, Stuttgart's captain Wataru Endo is an automatic starter.
Hwang Ui-jo (Korea Republic, Olympiacos)
Teammates with fellow compatriot Hwang In-beom at Olympiacos, Hwang Ui-jo made a huge step up from Japanese outfit Gamba Osaka to Bordeaux in the summer of 2019. Hitting double figures in Ligue 1 for the last two campaigns, he was the top scorer of a team sliding down to the 2nd tier in 2021/22. Caught in the merry-go-round of Evangelos Marinakis' business empire, he became Nottingham Forest's 17th new signing in the summer, immediately sent out on loan to the Greek giants. A signing signifying Forest becoming the senior affiliate of the business, Hwang is yet to fit in along with the star names of James Rodriguez, Marcelo, and Mathieu Valbuena. Though behind DR Congo's Cedric Bakambu in the pecking order, his recent record at international level is good with a goal each in June against Brazil and Egypt in Seoul.
Jackson Irvine (Australia, FC St. Pauli)
Jackson Irvine's transfer to St. Pauli was his first club outside of the U.K. and contributed heavily to their promotion push last campaign but one win from their last seven games meant they had to settle for fifth. A star player at Championship level with Burton Albion but frustrating at Hull City, Irvine sought redemption at Hibernian but has come into his own in the second tier of German football. For the qualification process, Irvine has been crucial, with his late run and finishing proving pivotal, especially in Australia's Fourth Round play-off tie vs the UAE to book a famous date with Peru in June in Al Rayyan. Expect to see Irvine performing as an industrial box-to-box operator in contrast to Aaron Mooy's delicate passing at the heart of Socceroos' midfield.
Hassan Al-Haydos (Qatar, Al-Sadd)
The captain and the player with the most caps, Hassan Al-Haydos has been the jewel in the Qatari crown long before their rise under the guidance of Félix Sánchez. Having spent his entire club career at Al Sadd, Al-Haydos has had the privilege of featuring alongside Raul, Santi Cazorla, and Xavi Hernandez, who of course managed the side for two years before venturing into the hot seat at Barcelona. In his glittering career, Al-Haydos won the Qatar Football Association Player of the Year award in 2015 and was part of the 2019 Asian Cup team of the tournament. In a competition in which Qatar were victorious, Sudanese-born Almoez Ali grabbed the headlines with his explosive nine-goal contribution, winning the Golden Boot by a landslide. Al Sadd are currently fourth from bottom in the Qatar Stars League but there will be time to put it right later as the QSL is taking a two-month break to give the hosts much-needed time to recuperate. Similar to the Saudis, Qatar are all in to help their national team, and if the Maroons are to navigate through a tough-looking Group A, Al-Haydos will need to bring his A game with his magical passing and deft ball control.
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