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With the footballing world hooked into the Asian games at the moment, now seems the excellent time to celebrate some of the Asian players who have graced the Premier League during their career.
From Benayoun to Ji-Sung Park, the English Premier League has been fortunate enough to have played host to some of Asia's most significant exports.
Here's a starting XI of the best Asian players of the Premier League era, organized into a 3-5-2 formation.
#1 Ali Al Habsi (GK)
Ali Al Habsi spent nearly 12 years playing in England with Bolton and Wigan in the Premier League and then with Brighton and Reading in the Premiership He won the supporter's player of the season award on two separate occasions during his spell at Wigan. Habsi was pivotal in the Latics staying in the top flight as long as they did. Currently, he is playing for Al-Hilal Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
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#2 Sun Jihai (CB)
Sun Jihai was one of the first Chinese players to play in the Premier League. He made his debut with Crystal Palace in 1998 before moving on to Manchester City where he scored his first goal against Birmingham in 2002. The Chinese defender was a fan-favourite at City during his six-year spell at the club. Since 2015 he is acting as the Chinese ambassador for Manchester City and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame the same year.
#3 Maya Yoshida (CB)
Yoshida was not a regular starter with the Saints during his initial days, but his commitment and hard work are now paying dividends for him. He played alongside a variety of defenders in Southampton, but he has always been able to hold his own. The 30-year-old is a powerhouse, and despite rumours linking him to numerous clubs in the summer he continues to be a Southampton player.
#4 Tal Ben Haim (CB)
Tal Ben Haim played for seven Premier League clubs - Bolton, Manchester City, Chelsea, Sunderland, Portsmouth, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers. He was very impressive in his early days with Bolton, but gradually his career took a downward spiral. Haim's playing time got reduced after his move to Chelsea, and he was unable to replicate his previous form ever again.
#5 Ki Sung-Yeung (CM)
Ki had an impressive handful of seasons in the Premier League with Swansea City, but he could not prevent them from relegation in 2017/18 campaign. His precise passing from the centre of the park typified the style of play Brendan Rodgers instilled into the Swans. Currently, his is playing for Newcastle United in the Premier League.
#6 Ji-Sung Park (CM)
Arguably the most significant Asian to play in the Premier League and no doubt why Sir Alex always relied on him in big games. He could play anywhere and put up a decent shift. Park's trophy cabinet has four Premier League medals, a UEFA Champions League and four League Cups which makes him the most decorated Asian player to ever play in the Premier League.
#7 Shinji Kagawa (AM)
Things didn't work out as expected for Kagawa at Manchester United but he did put up a string of good performances during his time with the Red Devils. In his debut season, he scored six goals and provided four assists, but in 2014 he was sold to Dortmund after failing to find a place in the starting line up under David Moyes.
#8 Yossi Benayoun (RM)
Benayoun had an impressive eight-year spell in the top flight of English football. He made his debut with West Ham in 2005 and then moved to Liverpool in 2007. He is currently the only player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League.
#9 Ashkan Dejagah (LM)
He made his debut in 2012 and went on to make 49 appearances in all competitions for the Cottagers. Ashkan was the supporter's player of the season. He is now playing for Tractor Sazi FC in the Iranian first division.
#10 Heung-Min Son (ST)
Son is currently playing the Asian games for South Korea, and the Tottenham fans must be hoping for their man to come back as early as possible. If Son and his team manage to win gold in the Asian games, then he will be excused of carrying out two years of national service. The 26-year-old has made 141 appearances for Spurs, and he will be hoping to make many more in the future.
#11 Shinji Okazaki (ST)
The Japanese were part of the Leicester side that lifted the Premier League during the 2015/16 season. Since then, he has continued in the same vein and will no doubt play a significant part for the Foxes this season as well.
The final lineup
The final lineup
