The AFC Asian Cup 2023 will reach its final moment on Saturday with the game between the hosts, Qatar, and the tournament's dark horses, Jordan.
Both national teams enjoyed heroic semifinal performances, with Jordan hammering a star-studded South Korean side and Qatar overcoming one of the leading contenders for triumph - Iran.
The two national teams enjoy each a protagonist in their squad. Qatar has Akram Afif, who guided the Annabi to their maiden Asian Cup title in 2019, scored five goals and assisted three more in this tournament. Afif, who once played for Sporting Gijon and Villarreal in Spain, but the 2022 World Cup preparations sent him back to where it all started — Al Sadd — had a great tournament, and against Iran, was the hero in an unexpected
The boy who dazzled Asian Cup 2019, is the man that set the tones in the 2023 edition. Afif (Photo courtesy: The Asian Football Confederation)
Al Neshameh, Jordan, has Mousa Al Taamari of French Ligue 1 side Montpellier, who will be the only player in this final who ply his trade in Europe. Al Taamari, who has three goals and one assist, is having an inspiring tournament overall, and if Jordan makes the unbelievable and wins it, he surely has a strong case for Asian Cup 2023’s MVP.
A strong case for the tournament’s MVP, if Jordan to go all the way. Al Taamari (Photo courtesy: The Asian Football Confederation)
An all-Arab final in Asia’s top competition will also be a dual between the two best players in the tournament and two of the best Arab players in Asia today.
