Top 10 contenders for the best football player in Asia

Asian footballers are revered for their high level of performance and consistency, with more and more players emerging in some of the best teams in the world’s top leagues over the past few decades. When it comes to international football in Asia, Qatar have won the last two Asian Cups, but none of their players feature in the rankings, which are dominated by Japan and South Korea, both of whom have not won the competition since Japan beat Australia in the 2011 final. South Korea and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, who tops the list of all-time great Asian players, makes the list, along with Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-Jae and PSG’s young star Lee Kang-in. Check out the list best football player in asia with Premiumsoccertips.net!

Top 10 best football player in Asia

10. Salem Al-Dawsari (Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal)

Salem Al-Dawsari holds the record for perhaps the most famous goal in Saudi Arabia’s history, a long-range strike that sealed the team’s historic win over Argentina at the Qatar 2022 World Cup. As a result, Al-Dawsari has been named the 2022 Asian Footballer of the Year, which is open to players playing for clubs in the Asian region.

The 33-year-old winger has aged like a fine wine since taking up that mantle. Last season, he helped Al-Hilal win the Saudi Pro League and finish above Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr with 14 goals, while this season he has three goals and three assists in 10 league appearances.

9. Wataru Endo (Japan and Liverpool)

Japan national team captain Wataru Endo has become a key part of Liverpool’s squad since signing for £16m in 2023. Primarily a defensive midfielder, Endo is adept at reading the game and winning the ball, something Liverpool rely on when pressing high up the pitch in pursuit of goals.

He is also a big student of the game, vlogging about tactics, as well as being a leader on the pitch. As he has aged, he has fallen out of favour in Arne Slot’s side, but his presence off the bench remains vital. The Japanese midfielder is a true warrior, and there certainly aren’t enough players like him in the modern game.

8. Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea and Wolves)

Although Hwang Hee-chan failed to live up to expectations during his time at Red Bull Leipzig from 2020 to 2022, failing to score a single Bundesliga goal, his career has taken a significant turn since moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 2023/24 season was Hee-chan’s most successful campaign to date at Molineux, as he demonstrated his remarkable attacking qualities.

Hee-chan can play in a number of attacking positions, from centre-forward to left or right winger, and has shown his explosive pace and composed finishing ability every time he has played. Although Wolverhampton have had a difficult start to the 2023/24 season under Gary O’Neil, Hee-chan has been one of the team’s brightest stars. His important contributions have not only helped Wolves improve their form, but also confirmed his important role in the team’s attacking play. Hee-chan’s progress in the Premier League has proven that he can still thrive in a top league.

7. Kyogo Furuhashi (Japan and Celtic)

Kyogo Furuhashi has been remarkably consistent since joining Celtic in 2021 for £4.5m from J1 League side Vissel Kobe. Not only has the Japanese striker scored 73 goals for Celtic in 133 games, a statistic that Hoops fans will be delighted with, seven of those goals have come in 14 games against Celtic’s arch-rivals Rangers, including the winner at Ibrox two seasons ago. Despite representing Japan, Furuhashi was left out of the 2022 World Cup squad, much to the surprise of many. He has not featured for the national team since scoring in a win over Tunisia in October 2023.

Despite the frustration of not playing for his country as often as he would have liked, Furuhashi has been a talisman for Celtic, who may be playing in a league where some question the quality of their game. But he has coped with the pressure of living in the Goldfish Bowl in Glasgow and helped Celtic win four successive Scottish league titles.

6. Mehdi Taremi (Iran and Inter)

Mehdi Taremi, an Iranian striker, joined Inter Milan in early 2024 after a successful spell at Porto, where he scored 91 goals in 182 games. Despite being a main striker, Taremi has been a standout for his ability to create goalscoring opportunities, with an impressive 56 assists during his time in Portugal. He has not only scored for his club, but has also been a key figure for the Iran national team, with 49 goals in 86 games, including a brace against England in a 6-2 defeat at the 2022 World Cup. This has seen him win the Iran Player of the Year award twice in 2016 and 2017.

Although Taremi has yet to score a goal and has only one assist in 10 games in the 2023/24 Serie A season, there is no denying his influence. His six goals in 11 World Cup qualifiers proved he is still consistent and capable of scoring at international level, showing that Taremi is still a quality striker, despite struggling to adapt to his new surroundings in Italy.

5. Kaoru Mitoma (Japan and Brighton)

Brighton’s talented attacking midfielder Kaoru Mitoma is known for his fluid yet effective movements and quick, decisive decisions. His performances for the Seagulls have been impressive, especially in the 2023 FA Cup tie, when Mitoma almost single-handedly defeated Liverpool with his dribbling and attacking flair.

Despite suffering a back injury in February that ended his season early, Mitoma has been praised by pundits and his peers. Liverpool veteran James Milner has not hesitated to call him one of the world’s top players. With his focus and drive to learn, Mitoma has even surprised by revealing that he wrote his university thesis on the art of dribbling, proving that he is not only a great player but also a true expert in the field. His impressive form in the current season has continued to be consistent, playing a major role in Brighton qualifying for the Europa League in recent seasons.

4. Takefusa Kubo (Japan and Real Sociedad)

Unable to make his mark on the first team at the Bernabeu, Kubo joined Real Sociedad in 2019, where he attracted attention with some eye-catching displays, particularly against his former clubs, when he had a goal harshly disallowed. Part of the Japan squad that beat both Spain and Germany at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Kubo created two goals as Japan beat Germany again, this time in a 2023 friendly, by a scoreline of four goals to one.

He is versatile, capable of playing wide, up front, in an attacking midfield role, as well as in a deeper central midfield role. At 23, Kubo has the world at his feet, and it seems only a matter of time before another European club snatches him away from Sociedad.

3. Lee Kang-in (South Korea and PSG)

Despite being South Korean, Lee Kang-in came through the youth ranks at Valencia, where he made his senior debut at just 17. After leaving to join Mallorca and now Paris Saint-Germain, where Kang-in joined for a fee of over €22 million, he has been deployed as a winger or attacking midfielder, but has been controversial.

At the most recent Asian Cup, fellow South Korean and national team captain Son Heung-min asked fans to forgive Lee Kang-in after his team-mate apologised for his involvement in a brawl between the two, with Tottenham captain Son reportedly injuring his finger in an argument with teammates at dinner before the surprise semi-final against Jordan. This is not to diminish Kang-in’s talent. So far this season he has shown signs of returning to form, contributing seven goals in 11 games as PSG have suffered the loss of Kylian Mbappe.

2. Kim Min Jae (South Korea and Bayern Munich)

Kim Min-jae, dubbed a “monster” in football, has become one of the best central defenders in Asia in recent years. He was a key factor in Napoli’s historic achievement of winning the Serie A title in 2023, the first time in 33 years since Diego Maradona in 1990. With his impressive performances for Napoli, Min-jae attracted great attention from top European clubs. When Bayern Munich recruited him in 2023, Kim Min-jae not only became an important part of the German team, but also set a record as the most expensive Asian player in transfer history.

His ability on the pitch has few weaknesses. Min-jae possesses outstanding strength, quick speed and the ability to pass the ball accurately from the back. Despite his impressive qualities, he remains humble and continues to develop. Kim Min-jae is now considered one of the best defenders in the world and can certainly achieve much greater success in his career.

1. Son Heung-min (South Korea and Spurs)

With over 500 club appearances, Son Heung-min has scored 165 goals in 419 appearances for Spurs. He is also the captain of the London club and the South Korea national team. Although he has performed well in Germany with both Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, it is his time at Tottenham since 2015 that has established Son as the greatest Asian player ever, given the consistency of his performances over nearly a decade in London.

In 2022, he surpassed his famous team-mate Harry Kane by scoring 23 Premier League goals and winning the Golden Boot. The South Korean has scored some fantastic individual goals for Spurs, a club that fans hold in high regard. If there is anything missing from his career, it is obvious, as Spurs have not won a trophy since the 2008 League Cup, while South Korea have not won the Asian Cup since 1960. Despite the lack of silverware, Son’s consistent performances have propelled him to the top of this ranking.

Conclusion

Asian football has seen remarkable progress in players, not only at the national level but also on the international stage. Names like Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and Lee Kang-in have not only stood out in major tournaments but have also shown their outstanding talent at top clubs around the world. Although they have not won many international titles, they are still a testament to the strong development of Asian football. Overall, these players have not only represented their countries but also raised the status of Asian football on the international stage.

See more: Top 10 most versatile players in football of all time