We begin with nine candidates for the two spots up front. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite targetmen to lead the line for this all-star XI in the poll below.

Over 60 ambassadors or “Playmakers” representing 19 of the 24 competing nations were welcomed by HE Aref Al Awani, with the LOC Tournament Director challenging the group to deliver the best AFC Asian Cup in history, during the welcome event in the Royal Box of the 43,000-seat stadium, which will stage the highly-anticipated opener on January 5, 2019 as well as the final match on February 1, 2019.

Addressing the group, His Excellency Aref Al Awani said: “Just as a football team needs players working in harmony, for us to succeed, the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 needs to be a tournament for every single football fan, from every country and culture across the continent. The Playmakers Programme reflects our ambition to partner with the real super-fans, community influencers and football lovers who will infuse the tournament with their enthusiasm. I have no doubt that they will inspire others to do the same.”

Football fans are invited to get involved, ahead of the largest sporting event ever hosted in the Middle East, by signing up for the fun-filled seven-a-side tournament which offers players the added prestige of representing one of the 24 competing Asian nations. 

With the tournament mirroring the group stage and knockout format of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, football fans will come together throughout the country, as they battle to be crowned champions of the Asian Community Cup. Registration is now open to everybody aged 18 and older.

From now until September 30th, 2018, football fans can submit their slogan proposals for their favourite teams via the AFC’s social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, in the first phase of the contest, with the ultimate winners receiving an autographed national team jersey.

And the ultimate accolade will see the 24 winners have their slogans painted on the official team buses, which will be broadcast across the world and will ferry some of Asian football’s biggest names between the eight stadiums across the four cities, from January 5 to February 1, 2019.

It's no overstatement to stay that one of the standout games of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup was not the final, nor semi-final, but an action-packed quarter-final away from the big city lights of Sydney and Melbourne, but in the country's eighth largest city, the capital Canberra.

Never considered a football-hotbed - Canberra even now still lacks an A-League side - the Australian seat of government, for one night in January 2015, was turned into the centre of Asian football as Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq played out an instant classic in the tournament's last eight.

The 2018 Asian Games' football competition saw Korea Republic defeat Japan 2-1 in extra-time in an exciting climax at Pakansari Stadium in Cibinong, and eyes now turn to the biggest event in the continental game: the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Here are six players who stood out in Indonesia and will aspire to rise to even greater heights for their countries in the UAE in January. Let us know in the poll below who you think will be the one to watch.

The international break saw as many as 11 fixtures bringing 2019 AFC Asian Cup participating sides head to head, while Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Japan and Korea Republic opted to face opponents from the Americas.

Non-qualified Asian teams including Kuwait, Malaysia, Laos and Indonesia were all in action too. Looking back at 10 days of international football, here are five players who impressed for their respective countries.