The raw statistics illustrate what an effective attacker Teruhito Nakagawa is. Indeed, the Yokohama F. Marinos No23 excelled throughout last year in helping his side seal the domestic title.

Around the turn of the 21st century, Al Hilal transformed their domestic success into the continental front in an era which saw them win the Asian Club Championship, two Asian Cup Winners’ Cup titles and two Asian Super Cup titles to add to two Saudi Pro League titles and one Crown Prince Cup - all in the space of four years.

These were exciting times for Al Hilal, that ushered a new era for the club, marking it as one of Asia's greatest ever club teams.

To help us examine the contenders in our Asia’s Greatest Serie A Players poll, we’ve enlisted Cesare Polenghi, an Italian born and raised, Japan-based football columnist and pundit, and the former Managing Editor of Goal Asia.

But beyond the likes of Maldini and Maradona, several Asian players have thrived in the competition, with players from all over the continent turning out for Italian clubs.

Italy’s top league, cup and super cup titles have all been won by Asian players, who have now been a regular fixture in the race for the Scudetto for more than a quarter of a century.

But who is the greatest of them all? Which player has earned the title of Asia’s Calcio king?

Here are our nominees:

Kicking off the AFC Cup's version of the '5 of the Best' series, we begin with one of our most popular categories: free-kicks. Curlers, rockets and long-range efforts - enjoy these superb set-pieces and then select your favourite by voting at the bottom of the article.

A year after that, the Dutch coach persuaded him to follow his footsteps to PSV Eindhoven, where his performances prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to recruit him in 2005. During seven seasons at Manchester United, he became the first Asian footballer to play UEFA Champions League finals – though two defeats by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona signified a bittersweet experience.

But while his surge to prominence in international football has been rapid, the truth is the Kyrgyz Republic youngster has never been far away from the spotlight.

Talking exclusively with the-AFC.com, one of the rising stars of Central Asian football discusses his meteoric rise, earning the approval of Andrey Arshavin and the pivotal role played by his well-known family.