The 2002 World Cup – the first to be held on the continent – was monumental for Asia in more than one respect. Co-hosts Korea Republic and Japan were joined by Saudi Arabia, making their third straight appearance, and debutants China PR to complete Asia's line-up. And while the Chinese and Saudis both exited in the group stage after enduring difficult campaigns, the other two stole the show on home soil.

 

Japan kicked off with a draw against Belgium before Junichi Inamoto scored for the second game running to help Philippe Troussier’s side edge Russia 1-0 in Yokohama for their first-ever World Cup win. The Samurai Blue didn’t have to wait long for a second win as Hiroaki Morishima and Hidetoshi Nakata struck to defeat Tunisia 2-0 as Japan finished top of Group H. Though they bowed out after a narrow 1-0 loss to Turkey in the last 16, Japan’s second appearance at the World Cup showcased the country’s immense potential to the world. 

The Koreans went even further. Under Guus Hiddink, the country recorded their first-ever World Cup victory by beating Poland 2-0 in their opener in Busan before holding the United States to a 1-1 draw. Park Ji-sung then sent 50,000-plus fans in Incheon into raptures when he netted to down a Portugal side featuring Luis Figo 1-0 and send them through as group winners.

 

Ahn Jung-hwan would go from villain to hero against the mighty Italians in the Round of 16 as he missed an early penalty before heading home the golden goal in the 117th minute to spark wild celebrations across the country. Their fairytale continued when they beat Spain on penalties as Hong Myung-bo dispatched the winning spot-kick to reach the semi-finals where Hiddink’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Germany.

 

A 3-2 loss to Turkey in the third-place playoff in Daegu then brought the curtain down on Asia’s finest World Cup run to date after a campaign that gripped football followers old and new across the two East Asian nations and beyond.

Four years later in Germany, the Islamic Republic of Iran joined Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia as Asia’s representatives. Japan, coached by Brazilian legend Zico, finished last in a group also featuring holders Brazil while the Koreans were unfortunate not to progress after picking up a win against Togo and a 1-1 draw against finalists France.

 

But Sami Al Jaber scripted history with Saudi as he became the first Asian to score in three World Cups after netting in a 2-2 draw with Tunisia. However, with Iran’s only point coming in a 1-1 draw against Angola, all four Asian sides exited in the group stage. 

The 2010 edition in South Africa saw Japan and Korea Republic turn heads once more. Keisuke Honda hit the winner as Japan overcame Cameroon in their opener before the midfielder netted again in their 3-1 defeat of Denmark, sending them through to the last 16 where they failed to find a way past Paraguay for 120 minutes and were knocked out on penalties.

The Taeguk Warriors also reached the last 16 from a group featuring Diego Maradona’s Argentina, Greece and Nigeria, with Park Ji-sung scoring in his third consecutive World Cup in a 2-0 defeat of the Greeks. However, the 2002 semi-finalists were denied another deep run by Uruguay who won the last 16 tie 2-1, with Luis Suarez scoring a late winner.

Meanwhile, Australia, in their first World Cup as an Asian representative, edged Serbia 2-1 and earned a point against Ghana, but exited in the group stage despite picking up a commendable four points from three games, with their heavy 4-0 loss to Germany in their opener ultimately proving costly.

 

And DPR Korea, returning for the first time since their historic 1966 campaign, ran Brazil close in a 2-1 opening-game loss before they were well beaten by Portugal and Cote d’Ivoire.

Four years later in Brazil, Asia was absent in the knockout stages but Tim Cahill became the first Australian to score in three World Cups, with his two goals including a stunning volley against the Netherlands. Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos finished bottom of their group after three defeats, while Japan and Korea Republic also endured disappointing campaigns, picking up just a point apiece although Son Heung-min did net his first World Cup goal for the latter in a loss to Algeria.

It was perhaps a tale of bad luck for Carlos Queiroz’s Iran, meanwhile, as they succumbed to a stoppage-time Lionel Messi goal to lose 1-0 against Argentina having earlier picked up a point against Nigeria. Defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final match ended their last 16 hopes.

All four teams from 2014 were present four years later along with the Saudis as Asia got five berths at the World Cup for the first time. Iran’s opening-game win over Morocco gave them hope before they were unlucky to lose 1-0 against Spain. A 1-1 draw with Portugal in a tense final match saw them narrowly eliminated although the story could have been so different had it not been for a last-gasp Mehdi Taremi miss.

 

The Koreans stuttered to lose their first two games against Sweden and Mexico only to stun defending champions Germany in their final outing as stoppage-time goals from Kim Young-gwon and Son sealed a famous 2-0 win and eliminated the Germans. Saudi Arabia were also beaten in their opening two matches but left with heads held high after Salem Al Dawsari struck late to down Egypt 2-1, while a 1-1 draw with Denmark proved to be Australia’s best result.

Japan were the only Asian side to reach the knockout rounds as a win over Colombia and a draw with Senegal proved enough to see them through to the last 16, where they came agonisingly close to advancing to the quarter-finals for the first time after going two up against Belgium’s golden generation only to concede three times in the final 21 minutes as Nacer Chadli’s 94th-minute winner broke Japanese hearts.

The World Cup returned to Asia in 2022 as Qatar turned hosts, and it was Saudi Arabia, who had shown glimpses of progress by beating Egypt in Russia, who first made the headlines when they stunned eventual winners Argentina 2-1 in their opener, with Saleh Al Shehri and an Al Dawsari stunner securing a famous result. But subsequent defeats to Poland and Mexico saw the Green Falcons bow out as their tens of thousands of fans left Qatar dreaming of what might have been.

 

Qatar found life tough in their World Cup debut although they improved game by game while Mohammed Muntari netted their first World Cup goal against Senegal on Matchday Two as they ultimately exited with three defeats. It was also a tough campaign for Iran, whose 2-0 win over Wales did at least give their travelling support something to cheer prior to a loss against the United States seeing them bow out. 

Australia, in their fourth consecutive World Cup, managed 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark to progress to the knockout rounds for the first time since 2006 before losing 2-1 to Argentina in the last 16. The Koreans began their campaign with a goalless draw against Uruguay before Hwang Hee-chan hit a 91st-minute winner to down Portugal 2-1 and send them through to the next stage where they fell to Brazil.

Japan, meanwhile, made the world sit up and take note by producing two of the most famous results in their history as Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka hit the winners to down Germany and Spain respectively and advance as group winners to reach the Round of 16 for the fourth time. But a heartbreaking loss to 2018 finalists Croatia on penalties ended their quest to reach a first quarter-final following a campaign that saw three of Asia’s teams appear in the knockout rounds for the first time.