Asian World Cup players under 30 to root for
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has officially kicked off in Qatar, and we’ve probably already chosen a team to root for – popular picks being England, Germany, France, or Brazil. Understandably so, as these are major national teams with plenty of remarkable stars.
However, we believe there are many underrated Asian football players who’ll be reppin’ us on field as well, though Thailand hasn’t qualified this year. We thought it’d be a good idea to curate a list of Asian football players for you to root for. Without further ado, here’s 10 Asian World Cup players under 30 with striking good looks and skills who make the beautiful game, arguably more beautiful.
1. Son Heung-Min (South Korea) – most expensive Asian football player in history
Needless to say – if you’re a Premier League fan – we all know how amazing this guy is. Apart from his lanky body and good looks, his dribbling and striking skills are absolutely world-class. So there’s no way he wouldn’t be called up for the South Korean national team.
For the uninitiated, Son Heung-Min played in the Bundesliga for Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Tottenham Spurs via a £22 million transfer, making him the most expensive Asian football player in history.
FYI, he’s not only a highly-praised football player in South Korea but all over the world. Besides his skills on the pitch, he’s also sought after as a fashion model for Burberry, Tumi, and Calvin Klein.
On 24th December 2010, Son made his first debut for the national team’s match against Syria. Also, at the final tournament, he scored his first international goal against India and gained his team a victory, making him the youngest goalscorer in AFC Asian Cup history. Due to his incredible skills, he was later selected for the South Korean national team in the 2014 World Cup and 2018 World Cup.
Son has earned a lot trophies in his football career: 6 x Footballer of the Year, 2 x Player of the Year, and 2 x Top Goal Scorer awards. The latest accolade is a Premier League Golden Boot that he earned this year.
Having scored 201 goals in total, Son is a versatile football player. Although his main role is a striker, he typically amazes his fans with other roles, such as, second striker, winger, and attacking midfielder. Arguably the poster child for Asian footballers on this list with both looks and skills, we’re not surprised that he’s considered South Korea’s ace-in-the-hole.
2. Min-jae Kim (South Korea) – a skillful defender & gentle giant from Napoli
Another South Korea player that we’re keeping our eyes peeled for is Min-jae Kim. His impactful performance at S.S.C. Napoli aside, Kim has gained repute for his position as a solid defender. His dedicated Korean fans call him “Monster” in reference to his sizeable build and ability to move fluidly in the air when required. If you’re wondering how one can manoeuvre such a bulky build so skillfully, we would suggest watching him play in actual games to find out.
The talented young star was named Young Player of the Year in K-League 1 in 2017, going on to win the K-League title twice. Plus, at the age of 23, he became a member of the Under-23 squad that won the Asian Games.
Overall, Min-jae Kim is known for his being able to read the game impressively and being dominant in the air. This has led him to his stellar career and reputation as one of the most notable Asian footballers to be playing in Europe at present.
3. Hwang Hee Chan (South Korea) – ripped yet fast forward striker nicknamed “Bull”
Next, Hwang Hee-chan is a forward striker in Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. He is nicknamed “Bull” in his home country for his aggressive playing style. Even though he’s not usually a starting player in the line-up in Wolverhampton, he definitely makes his appearances count with literally striking performances every time he’s played on the pitch.
Before coming to Wolverhampton, Hwang Hee-chan had made his senior debut for FC Red Bull Salzburg, a big team in Bundesliga. During his career there, he won plenty of Austrian Bundesliga titles with the club.
In 2020, the forward moved to RB Leipzig before being loaned by Wolverhampton. However, Wolves managed to buy him permanently from RB Leipzig in 2022.
As mentioned, Hwang has an aggressive style of playing football and along with his bulky body, we’re positive that he’ll surely make a great impact in Korea’s 2022 World Cup efforts – or at least, in the hearts of thousands of new fans.
4. Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan) – Arsenal footballer who debuted when he was 17
This guy needs no introduction when it comes to Arsenal fans – the legendary Takehiro Tomiyasu – who’s most definitely playing for team Japan this World Cup. His overall stamina, balanced build and all-rounded abilities definitely make the game a joy to watch whenever he’s fielded as part of Arsenal in battle. We can also see why he’s been chosen as a starting player lately – and we expect a similar trend in Japan’s 2022 World Cup roster.
Tomiyasu was apparently an extremely hardworking soccer player as he is described to have put a lot of effort into trainings. When he was young, he reportedly ran at incredible speeds, faster than other kids. Due to his prodigious skills, he successfully made his debut with the J-League at the tender age of 17.
In the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tomiyasu participated in Japan’s final group game against France for 90 minutes and helped lead the team to a 4-0 victory.
FYI, Tomiyasu is 2-footed football player; which means he can play equally well with both feet. Along with his firm physique, speed, and defensive skills, he’s got the potential to be a world-class player in the future. To be honest, he’s definitely an athelete we’re particularly excited to root for this year. #nobias
5. Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) – a noteworthy player from Brighton
Looking all snazzy in his Puma jumpsuit in Squid Game-esque green is a Japanese player you should def look out for this World Cup. Playing for Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., Kaoru Mitoma always impresses his teammates, coach, and supporters with his amazing skills.
After completing university, the talented lad joined Kawasaki Frontale in 2020 as a professional footballer and helped the team become League Champions in his first season.
In March 2022, he scored his first two international goals against Australia in the World Cup qualifiers, leading to a 2-0 win for Japan. He also scored a hat trick of sorts in the realm of sporting awards – AKA he’s in possession of 3 major trophies: as the Japanese Champion, Japanese Cup Winner, and Japanese Super Cup Winner.
Mitoma’s smaller frame may get people wondering how he stacks up against Western players with larger physiques. But this hasn’t hindered him from performing well on the field, weaving past literal giants so far. If you watch Brighton’s games, you’ll spot his bursts of speed to dribble the ball through opponents admirably.
Hopefully his success with Brighton will translate on the pitch in the upcoming World Cup games, but we’re definitely rooting for Kaoru.
6. Takefusa Kubo (Japan) – Asian “Messi” & speedy attacking midfielder playing in Spain
Known as the Japanese “Messi”, Takefusa Kubo harboured a passion for football while growing up, just like his dad. He began playing when he turned 7 years old, and has since gained loads of accomplishments throughout his youth.
At the age of 15, he became the J. League’s youngest-ever scorer, after he scored a goal in a 1-0 victory over Cerezo Osaka U-23 on his first professional debut in the J. League.
Within the same year, Kubo succeeded in getting himself to the Japan U-20 national team for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Once he turned 18, he was called up for a senior squad for the 2019 Copa America tournament.
Fast forward to the present, Kubo has been spending his years honing his skills in Spain. He used to play for Real Madrid before moving permanently to Real Sociedad in 2022. As a player of Real Sociedad, we’re glad to report he has proven himself as a key player and has gone on to do Japan’s national football team proud.
In short, he’s had a remarkable performance so far in the qualifiers despite his small size. That’s also why he’s been dubbed by his fans – and the media – as “Japanese Messi”.
7. Akram Afif (Qatar) – the host nation’s star player to keep an eye on
Akram Afif is a Qatari football player with plenty of major awards to his name. But beyond his accolades, his lanky build also makes him a joy to watch onfield. When he was 17, he scored a major winning goal against North Korea in the final of the AFC Under-19 Championship, resulting in a victory for Qatar – who also happen to be this year’s World Cup hosts.
As for when Afif joined Qatar’s squad officially, t’was back in 2015 that he made his fateful senior debut – joining the line-up that pushed his team to defeat Bhutan by scoring his first international goal in a 15-0 World Cup qualification match.
Though Qatar’s first match against Ecuador in the 2022 World Cup on Sunday didn’t exactly go swimmingly for the host nation, we’re still looking forward to catching this young talent in action on the pitch.
8. Almoez Ali (Qatar) – all-time top scorer & Red Bull ambassador
Try not to be fooled by that set of pearly whites and shy smile, as Almoez Ali is Qatari’s all-time top scorer. Racking up an hefty 9-goal tally on behalf of Qatar’s squad, he led his team to a 2019 AFC Asian Cup win.
In 2021, he scored 4 goals for Qatar’s squad in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and was bestowed the Top Scorer award.
Ali is pretty much guaranteed to be in the starting line-up as an attacker, whenever Qatar’s fielding their First XI, but we’d say there’s more in-store when it comes to the Red Bull ambassador’s career. We look forward to him showing off his potential on the pitch to the roar of his nation’s supporters in future matches.
9. Sardar Azmoun (Iran) – talented forward who’s dubbed the “Iranian Messi”
When it comes to the Iranian national football team, they may not get as much representation in the spotlight as compared to their other Asian counterparts. However, this year’s team line-up has some noteworthy players, for instance, Sardar Azmoun.
Dubbed the “Iranian Messi”, Sardar Azmoun is a handsome, well-built forward from Bayern 04 Leverkusen who has scored 111 goals in total, making him the second most expensive Iranian player.
The dog lover is also the youngest Iranian footballer who scored in a UEFA Champions League game and also holds the record for most goals scored in a single season.
While playing for Zenit St. Petersburg, he won the domestic treble of the RPL title, Russian Cup, and Russian Super Cup in his first full season.
Since he’s far outpaced his peers as a teen, the golden rookie has been playing for the Iranian national team since he was 19 years old. And of course, it was a no-brainer to spot him on the World Cup line-up, flying Iran’s flag high in this year’s games at Qatar. Ladies – and gents – do hold on to your hearts, as the Iranian team has made headlines before in 2018 – just not in the way you’d expect.
Are they models, football players, or both? Guess we’ll have to let the fans decide on this one.
10. Alireza Beiranvand (Iran) – goalkeeper who blocked Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty in the World Cup
Besides being home to a talented forward, the Iranian national team also boasts a remarkable goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand. Deemed a “national treasure”, he’s an individual who’s dedicated his life to saving the team from conceding goals.
Besides his height of 1.96 metres, we believe Iranian fans are inclined to put their trust in his goalkeeping abilities, thanks to his reassuring smiles, and stoic attitude on the football pitch. Beiranvand became Iran’s first-choice keeper for the matches in Russia 2018. Plus, he remains the only Iranian goalkeeper who saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Cup.
In 2019, he was named Iranian Footballer of the Year and now ranks as the second-cleanest goalkeeper in the world, with an impressive 23 clean sheets in 37 games.
Let’s support these Asian World Cup players reppin’ us in Qatar
So there you have it – 10 Asian footballers who are blessed with the talent and charisma to win them fans – both on and off the pitch. Non-football fans, we hope we’ve given you a reason to root for these young stars beyond their dribbling and defending skills.
We’re also glad that we have terrific football players who represent Asia, and we’ll be keeping a close watch on their performance in the upcoming World Cup. Though we’re not from the same country as theirs, we’re happy to support these nations and really hope they can make it far to the finals.
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- 7 Thai Olympians who made national history at Tokyo 2020
- 8 charismatic doctors will melt your hearts with their pics alone
Cover images adapted from (clockwise from top left): ztos, @afcstuff, fifaworldcup_de