At the start of 1996, a 27-year-old Ali Daei had scored just seven goals for Iran. But the qualification campaign for the AFC Asian Cup 1996 and the tournament proper transformed him into the predatory striker who would hang up his boots a decade later with a record 109 international goals. 

 

Daei finished the qualifiers with 12 goals before emerging as the hero for his country in the Finals. He was on the scoresheet in all three group stage fixtures, but it was in the quarter-finals that Daei put on his greatest show. 

Iran and Korea Republic traded blows to be tied 2-2 with 24 minutes left when the striker stepped up and pulled Iran into a 3-2 lead. He would then score one of the greatest AFC Asian Cup goals – expertly bringing down a cross on the edge of the box and firing a half-volley into the top corner. 

 

Daei completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute before sealing the 6-2 win with his fourth from the penalty spot. Team Melli were beaten on penalties in the semi-finals by eventual champions Saudi Arabia, but Daei struck again in the third-place playoff win over Kuwait to top the scoring charts on eight goals. 

 

Though Daei scored three in each edition as he captained his country in 2000 and 2004 – the latter seeing another third-place finish – a winner’s medal proved elusive for the Iranian. But there’s no doubt that the AFC Asian Cup’s all-time leading scorer, with 14 goals, has left an indelible mark on the competition.

Shunsuke Nakamura’s maiden appearance in the AFC Asian Cup came as a 22-year-old in 2000 when Japan won their second title after defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final in Beirut. But it was four years later that the attacking midfielder would come to the fore in the tournament. 

 

Nakamura, then plying his trade with Italy’s Reggina in Serie A, began the tournament in style with a cheeky goal in a 1-0 win against Oman before netting against Thailand in their next outing. Zico’s Japan then edged past Jordan and Bahrain to set up a final against hosts China PR. 

The Japanese were up against it in front of passionate home crowd of 62,000 spectators at Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium. But the Samurai Blue, orchestrated by their midfield maestro Nakamura, brushed aside the hosts with a 3-1 victory to successfully defend their title. 

 

The 26-year-old played a part in all three of Japan’s goals, playing in the free-kick from which Takashi Fukunishi opened the scoring before supplying the assists for Koji Nakata and Keiji Tamada – his displays earning him the Most Valuable Player award in the tournament. 

 

In 2007, and now with Celtic in Scotland, the midfielder bagged two goals and two assists and was once again a key cog for Japan. But after a memorable quarter-final win against Australia, they were beaten by Saudi Arabia in the last four and ultimately had to settle for fourth place. 

When the Lions of Mesopotamia stunned the world and lifted their first-ever AFC Asian Cup title by defeating tournament favourites Saudi Arabia at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in 2007, 24-year-old striker Younis Mahmoud was indeed the true leader of the Iraqi pack. 

 

Mahmoud was on the mark as Iraq began their continental campaign with a 1-1 draw against co-hosts Thailand. After squeezing through to the knockout stage with a win against Australia and a goalless draw against Oman, another of the host nations Vietnam were Iraq’s opponents in the last eight. 

 

With a glancing header off Nashat Akram’s free-kick, Mahmoud gave his side the lead in the second minute of the crucial tie, before hitting a free-kick over the Vietnamese wall and past a diving Duong Hong Son to seal the 2-0 victory in the second half. 

Iraq beat Korea Republic on penalties in the semi-finals and Mahmoud then scored the most important goal in Iraq’s history, arriving at the far post to head in a Hawar Mulla Mohammed corner in the 72nd minute of the final which beat the Green Falcons and turned him and his teammates into national heroes.

 

Mahmoud won the Golden Boot and was named the player of the tournament in an incredible 2007 campaign for the striker.  He also remains the only player to score in four different AFC Asian Cups, wearing the Iraq armband in three of those editions. 

Tim Cahill popped up with some standout goals for Australia in the AFC Asian Cup as the Socceroos made their tournament debut in 2007, suffered a heartbreaking final loss in 2011 and then redeemed themselves by lifting their maiden crown in the 2015 edition. 

 

The 2007 edition in Southeast Asia was Australia’s first appearance in the AFC Asian Cup and Cahill marked the occasion by scoring the country’s first-ever goal – a 92nd-minute equaliser against Oman on their debut which brought out his iconic corner flag celebration for the first time in the tournament.

 

Australia were knocked out by Japan in the quarter-finals during, but they came back stronger four years later with the Everton man now their most influential player. Cahill bagged a brace as Australia beat India 4-1 in the opener and played a pivotal role in their journey to the final. 

But an extra-time defeat to Japan in the title clash cut their fairytale short. At the age of 35, Cahill returned to the continental showpiece on home soil with Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos in 2015 and was on target in his side’s group stage opener for the third consecutive edition.  

 

He then produced arguably his best AFC Asian Cup performance, scoring both goals in a 2-0 quarter-final win against China PR, including a spectacular bicycle kick. The final was the perfect AFC Asian Cup farewell for Cahill as the hosts beat Korea Republic 2-1 after extra time to clinch the title in front of more than 76,000 at Stadium Australia. 

Saleh Al Nu’eimah was one of the most reliable defenders on the continent in the 1970s and 1980s – be it for his club side Al Hilal or with the Saudi Arabia national team for whom he won the AFC Asian Cup in 1984 and 1988 with some rock-solid displays at the back. 

 

Al Nu’eimah, who began his career with the capital city club in 1976, captained the Green Falcons as they made their maiden AFC Asian Cup appearance in 1984. And it was a debut to remember for Saudi Arabia as they overcame China PR 2-0 to lift the coveted title in Singapore.

 

With Al Nu’eimah manning the defence, the Saudis conceded just three goals in six matches on the way to their first-ever title, while their 27-year-old skipper also netted from the spot as the Green Falcons overcame the challenge of three-time winners Iran on penalties in the semi-finals.