The AFC Asian Cup 2023, hosted by defending champions Qatar, starts on January 12.
Japan, which lost to Qatar in the 2019 Asian Cup final, is the overwhelming favorite to win the trophy this time around and tie the record with a fifth championship. Japan will be the side to defeat no matter what level they are faced since they have been in five of the last eight finals.
South Korea has been assembling a squad that is more than capable of winning the Asian Cup, and it is captained by Son Heung-min, a superstar for Tottenham.
Son is expected to be the main man up attack, while Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich will be in charge of the defense.
Hwang Hee-chan of Wolves has been outstanding in the Premier League this year, tallying 10 goals and dishing out three assists.
As the reigning winners, Qatar will understandably be full of confidence going into this tournament, especially because they have home field advantage. Many countries throughout history can testify to such advantage, but it may also carry a high price. Qatar won their first Asian Cup with an unexpected 3-1 victory over Japan in the 2019 final.