Top 5 players to watch at Asian Cup 2023

• The 2023 Asian Cup is set to kick off in Qatar when the hosts face Lebanon
• From local heroes to Japanese and South Koreans, there are a lot of players expected to light up the tournament in Qatar
• South Korea’s Son Heung-min is arguably the biggest star in this year’s Asian Cup

Who are the players to watch at Asian Cup 2023? Asia’s premier continental tournament will kick-off later today and there are a lot of players who will be participating. The tournament takes place in Qatar, where the hosts will be facing Lebanon at 7pm.

From local heroes to Japanese and South Koreans, there are a lot of players expected to light up the tournament in Qatar. In this article, we take a look at the big names who are likely to create an impact for their teams in this event. Stay with us to the end.

1. Son Heung-min – South Korea

Son Heung-min. Photo/ The Indian Express.

South Korea’s Son Heung-min is arguably the most popular footballer from Asia. Considered one of the best wingers in the world, Son is among the top players to watch at Asian Cup 2023.

The Tottenham Hotspur captain will have all the lights shining on him as he aims to bring his good performance in the Premier League to the Asian Cup. He has scored 12 goals in 20 league matches this season with Spurs. Will Son be able to lead South Korea to triumph in Qatar this year? We wait.

2. Kim Min-jae – South Korea

Another key player in South Korea’s squad is Kim Min-jae. Currently playing for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, the 27-year-old is considered one of the best defenders in the world.

Kim Min-jae in action for South Korea during a past match. Photo/ Goal.com.

Nicknamed “The Beast”, Kim played a significant role as Napoli won the Serie A title last season and was named the Asian International Player of the Year for players based outside Asia. Will his heroic defending help South Korea emerge winners of the 2023 Asian Cup come February?

3. Kaoru Mitoma – Japan 

Following victories over Germany and Spain at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Japan have taken the football world by a storm. They have arrived at the Asian Cup in red-hot form, having scored at least four goals in eight of their eleven games since World up.

Japan’s stellar performance is because of the brimming talent in their squad that includes Brighton forward Kaoru Mitoma. The 26-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best wingers in the world, which makes him one of the players to watch at Asian Cup 2023. He has been a stand-out player for Brighton and we hope to see his brilliance in Qatar.

Mitoma is taking it easy in Qatar as he is yet to fully recover from an ankle injury he suffered in December during a Premier League match.

Kaoru Mitoma. Photo/ The Guardian Nigeria.

4. Takefusa Kubo – Japan 

Another Japanese player to keep an eye on in the Asian Cup is none other than Takefusa Kubo. His spark shone early as he was signed by Barcelona at 10 years of age and spent some time at La Masia before returning to Japan. He was signed by Real Madrid a month after his international debut but after several loan spells, he settled at Real Sociedad.

Kubo has lit up La Liga with nine goal contributions in 18 matches with Real Sociedad this season. The forward is fulfilling the potential showed at a younger age and is arguably one of the starts to keep an eye on in Qatar. Even if things fail to work out for him and Japan in this event, the future is bright considering he is just 22.

5. Salem Al-Dawsari – Saudi Arabia 

Remember Saudi Arabia‘s second goal against Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Well, this is the man that stunned the world with the screamer from the edge of the box. Having scored one of the most famous goals in football history, eyes will be on him again during the Asian Cup to see if he could produce another moment of magic.

Salem Al-Dawsari. Photo/ AFC.

Salem plays for Al Hilal at club level and is considered to be one of the best wingers in the Saudi Pro League. He was named the Asian Footballer of the Year for 2022, for players at clubs with Asia and considering his potential on the pitch, he could be a threat in the Asian Cup.