Both club competitions will see a record number of clubs compete in 2021, with two additional groups – one each for the East and West Regions – included in this season’s AFC Champions League Group Stage, which has expanded from 32 to 40 clubs.

Alaa Abbas and Hwang Ui-jo both found the back of the net, a pair of Iranian shot-stoppers produced clean sheet heroics and Lee Jae-sung beat the champions of Europe, while Ellie Carpenter and Saki Kumagai both starred in France.

Familiarise yourself with our shortlist – based on performances from January 13 to 19 – and don’t forget to cast your vote.

Over the past three weeks we have seen the goalkeeper and the back four decided with polling for the midfield maestros ongoing, it's time to turn our attention to the forwards and find out who you consider the top trio.

So, here are the nine players in contention for three places at the business end of the field. Review the candidates and then select your favourite for this all-star XI in the poll below.

The winner will be revealed on Sunday with 60 percent of the votes supplied by the direct participation of fans on the-AFC.com and 40 percent by a panel of Asian football experts.

Park, who spent an extensive amount of time playing in Europe for PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers, witnessed first hand how investment in development paved the way for success and the 39-year-old is hoping to make a difference in the K League.

As per the FIFA and Confederations statutes, all competitions should be organised or recognised by the relevant body at their respective level, by FIFA at the global level and by the Confederations at the continental level. In this respect, the Confederations recognise the FIFA Club World Cup, in its current and new format, as the only worldwide club competition while FIFA recognises the club competitions organised by the Confederations as the only club continental competitions.

The universal principles of sporting merit, solidarity, promotion and relegation, and subsidiarity are the foundation of the football pyramid that ensures football’s global success and are, as such, enshrined in the FIFA and Confederation statutes. Football has a long and successful history thanks to these principles. Participation in global and continental competitions should always be won on the pitch.

Gianni Infantino – FIFA President
Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa – AFC President
Constant Omari – CAF Acting President
Vittorio Montagliani – Concacaf President
Alejandro Domínguez – CONMEBOL President
Lambert Maltock – OFC President
Aleksander Čeferin – UEFA President

DID YOU KNOW?

The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 will see 2020 AFC Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai FC and tournament hosts Al Duhail SC competing with the world's best from February 1 to 11.

The draw takes place in Zurich on Tuesday at 16:00 CET (UTC+7).