La Liga, the top division of Spanish football, holds a place in the consciousness of fans throughout the globe, and it is also a nation which has played host to some standout players from the world’s largest continent.

In increasing numbers, Asian players are flocking to Spain, with some of the continent’s brightest prospects now making it their first port of call in European football.

With La Liga resuming this week, we invite you to decide which Asian player has made the biggest impact in Spanish football.

Here are our nominees:

Former Australia striker Aloisi scored 37 goals in 129 appearances for the club from 2001 to 2005, while IR Iran’s Nekounam, who joined in 2006, would go on to become a fan favourite over two stints and nearly 200 matches for Los Rojillos.

The duo - alongside another former Iranian Osasuna star, Masoud Shojaei - are both in the running for this week’s Asia’s Greatest Players in Spanish Football poll, and according to Aloisi, Nekounam was a highly respected figure at the club.

Unlike the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and Eredivisie, the success stories of Asian footballers in Spain belongs to a more exclusive cast, often due to the challenging nature of the country's footballing landscape.

To help us study this select group of players, we have enlisted the go-to-guy for all things Spanish football, Sid Lowe.

The draw, to be conducted at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will separate the 16 qualified nations into four groups ahead of October’s final tournament, and Uzbekistan will be a team many will hope to avoid, should they live up to head coach Timur Kapadze’s expectations.

Last week we presented the candidates for the best goalkeeper, and now it's time to turn our attention to defenders. With candidates from Korea Republic, Japan and Saudi Arabia, here are the eight players in contention for the places in the backline.

Review the nominees and then choose your favourite for this all-star XI in the poll below.

Last week we presented the candidates for the 2017 edition's best goalkeeper, and now it's time to turn our attention to defenders.

So, here are 14 players in contention for the four places in the backline. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite defenders for this all-star XI in the respective polls.

We kicked off the series with a look back at some fabulous free-kicks, before shining the spotlight on memorable long-range efforts. This week, we turn our attention to individual brilliance and review five incredible goals where players have taken matters into their own hands and emphatically produced the goods.

So, enjoy the trip down memory lane and don't forget to vote for your favourite at the bottom of the article!