Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Former Japan coach Philippe Troussier recalls one of the greatest moments in his career: winning the 2000 AFC Asian Cup in Lebanon.
The vastly-experienced Troussier has a coaching CV that extends back over 35 years and counting.
It includes a runners-up finish at the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup, an historic Round of 16 place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup but the continental title he won in Asia remains one of the most glorious memories.
The 63-year-old Parisian joined the-AFC.com for an exclusive look back to his crowning achievement as a coach.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Recently crowned AFC Champions League winner with Kashima Antlers, Atsuto Uchida first experienced the feeling of becoming an Asian champion back in 2011, when he helped Japan win the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
Just a few months after leaving his boyhood club Kashima to join Bundesliga side Schalke 04, Uchida was called up for the Samurai Blue as coach Alberto Zaccheroni looked to lead Japan to a record fourth continental title.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: East Asian nations had little success at the AFC Asian Cup in the aftermath of Korea Republic’s back-to-back title wins in the competition’s formative years. However, after a period of west Asian dominance, the tide was about to turn as Japan emerged as the continent’s dominant force.
Japan’s AFC Asian Cup win on home soil in 1992 might have come as a surprise, but on hindsight it proved to be a precursor of a period of superiority whose roots lay in the advent of professionalism in the east Asian nation and a remarkable attention to detail.
Until the early 1990s the Samurai Blue had been a minor player at the AFC Asian Cup but, with the arrival of the J.League in 1993 and the dawn of an era that brought with it rapid development at all levels, Japanese football was on the rise.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Turning 40 next April, evergreen striker Lee Dong-gook is still scoring goals at the continental level for club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. We rewind the clock 18 years, to when a fresh-faced young forward from Pohang made the world take notice at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup.
Lee's impressive career, that keeps recording new milestones for goals and longevity, can be considered to have truly begun on the biggest stage at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup in Lebanon.
The prodigiously talented young forward had already shown his ability at the 1998 AFC U-19 Championship, where he was named Top Scorer and MVP, and had also helped Pohang Steelers win the 1997-1998 Asian Club Championship.
But it was in the AFC's most prestigious national team tournament that the then 21-year-old made his mark in.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Beijing: Shanghai SIPG's Wu Lei will spearhead a 27-strong China PR training squad for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Wu Lei was named the 2018 Chinese Super League (CSL) Player of the Year after emerging topscorer as Shanghai SIPG won the title for the first time.
The 27-year-old scored 27 goals to become the first local player to win the topscorer award since 2007. The attacker has 12 goals to his name in 57 appearances for China PR.
Head coach Marcello Lippi also included goalkeeper Yan Junling and full-back Shi Ke from Shanghai SIPG.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Jeonju: Precociously talented Korea Republic defender Kim Min-jae has eyes on continuing his successful 2018 season into the new year at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
It's fair to say that Kim's first two-years of his professional career in top flight football have been on an upward curve.
In 2017, his debut season in the K-League 1, the physically imposing centre-back won the league title with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, was named K-League Young Player of the Year and named in the K-League Best XI.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Ever since the retirement of legend Ali Al Nono, Ala Al Sasi has taken the mantle as Yemen’s undisputed talisman. With a decade of experience behind him, the midfielder finally led his nation to their first ever AFC Asian Cup.
Yemen made history earlier this year, qualifying to the AFC Asian Cup for the first time ever, joining Kyrgyz Republic and the Philippines as the three debutants in the UAE 2019.
Their journey hasn’t been an easy one; after finishing bottom of their group in the second round, Yemen had to go through a two-legged play-off against the Maldives which they won 4-0 on aggregate to advance to the third round.