Asian Cup 2019: 10 players with most international caps

The biggest football extravaganza, the AFC Asian Cup, is just moments away. Some of the biggest names in Asian football will be seen in action soon.

The first match is scheduled to be played on 5th January 2019 between the hosts UAE and Bahrain. The quadrennial tournament will also witness 24 teams vying for glory this time instead of the usual 16.

Many of the Asian powerhouses have a perfect blend of youngsters as well as experienced players in their ranks. Both are equally pivotal for the success of a team and make it balanced.

Teams have been divided into 6 groups of 4 and the stage is set for the players to come out and perform. The players will also be seen leaving no stone unturned in order to win the US$5 million prize money as well as bring glory to their country.

In this article, we take a look at the 10 most capped players who will be taking part in the tournament from all the 24 teams.

#10 Ehsan Hajsafi (101 caps)

The Iranian left-back Ehsan Hajsafi is the only player in the national team with over a century of caps. He has played 101 games for Iran. The Kashan-born player has bundles of experience under his belt and was a part of the national team during the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

The 28-year-old was also an integral part of the team during the 2011 and 2015 AFC Asian Cups.

Considered a fine talent, Ehsan has also represented big clubs such as Olympiacos. He has 6 goals in national team colours and the last one he scored was against India during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification in 2016.

Currently, the talented player plays for Tractor Sazi, an Iranian club.

#9 Ignatiy Nesterov (102 caps)

Ignatiy Nesterov during South Korea v Uzbekistan - FIFA World Cup Qualifier

Uzbekistan's custodian Ignatiy Nesterov has 102 caps for the national team and is also the only player in the side with over 100 caps. The 35-year-old is still an important part of the team and also represents Uzbekistani club Lokomotiv Tashkent.

#8 Sunil Chhetri, Zheng Zhi and Gao Lin (104 caps each)

Sunil Chhetri is an Indian legend. The 34-year-old not only has the most caps for the national team but is also their all-time top goalscorer with 65 goals to his name. The Secunderabad-born striker currently represents Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC. He will be looking to lead the Blue Tigers from the front and is their go-to man.

Zheng Zhi is one of the best footballers China has ever produced. The 38-year-old had a prominent club career and also represented big clubs such as Charlton Athletic and Celtic. The midfielder is currently a part of Guangzhou Evergrande which plays in the Chinese Super League. Zhi has scored 15 goals for China in his 104 caps.

32-year-old Gao Lin has as many caps as his compatriot and captain Zheng. The Chinese striker is a vital part of China's front line and brings in the crucial experience in the team. He has 21 goals to his name in 104 national team appearances. Gao also plays for Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese Super League and is the clubs all-time top-scorer.

#7 Phil Younghusband (105 caps)

Phil Younghusband during the Suzuki Cup 2018

Philip James Younghusband is the top scorer for the Philippines with 52 goals in 105 appearances. The 31-year-old is also currently the captain of the national side. The last goal he scored for the Philippines was during the 2018 AFF Championship against Timor-Leste on 17 November 2018.

He has won multiple honours with the national team and the latest one was a runner-up finish during the 2017 CTFA International Tournament. Philip currently plays for the club Davao Aguilas.

#6 Ki Sung-Yeung (109 caps)

Ki Sung-Yeung during Burnley FC v Newcastle United - Premier League

Ki Sung-Yeung is South Korea's most experienced player in the squad currently. The 29-year-old midfielder has scored 10 goals in national team colours. The national team captain is extremely popular as he has represented Scottish Premier League Celtic, Premier League clubs such as Swansea City and Sunderland, in the past. He is currently a part of Newcastle United.

#5 Hassan Al-Haydos, Yuto Nagatomo, Anas Bani Yaseen (110 caps each)

Mainly a Right Winger, Hassan Al-Haydos is an important part of Qatar's national team. In his 110 appearances, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net 25 times. His most recent goal for the national team came in a friendly against Iran on 31st December 2018.

Hassan is also an integral part of the club Al-Sadd which plays in the Qatar Stars League. He has 71 goals in his 232 club appearances.

Yuto Nagatomo is another extremely popular player who will be featuring the 2019 Asian Cup. The 32-year-old full-back has 110 appearances for the Japanese national team and also has 3 goals to his name. The Ehime-born player has represented Internazionale (or Inter Milan) in the past and is currently part of Galatasaray.

Anas Bani Yaseen is a Jordanian footballer. The 30-year-old is a lanky centre back and also has 110 national team appearances.

#4 Ri Myong-guk and Baha' Abdel-Rahman (120 caps each)

Ri Myong-guk is the captain of North Korea. The 32-year-old earned his first national team cap in 2007 and has not looked back ever since. He has 120 appearances for the national team and an interesting fact is that both his father and uncle were also a part of the national team as goalkeepers.

The custodian was also an important cog for the team and the go-to man between the sticks when the national team featured in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, Baha' Abdel-Rahman is one of the most experienced Jordanian footballers. The 31-year-old defensive midfielder also has 5 goals to his name in his career in the 120 caps. He is currently a part of the club Al-Faisaly.

#3 Ismail Matar (125 caps)

Ismail Matar during the UAE v Iraq - 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match

Ismail Matar is the skipper of the UAE national team. A prominent member of the club Al-Wahda, the 35-year-old striker has also done extremely well for the national team and has 36 goals in 125 appearances. His latest goal came on 15 November 2016 during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iraq.

The number 10 has performed exceptionally well for the team and the hosts will hope he can bring out his best during the 2019 Asian Cup.

#2 Amer Shafi (139 caps)

Australia v Jordan - 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification

The Jordanian captain Amer Shafi is also their most capped player. The goalkeeper is widely regarded for giving terrific performances during the 2011 and 2015 AFC Asian Cups. He is among the select few goalkeepers who has a goal to his name -- which he scored with a long kick. It was against India in a friendly being played at the King Abdullah II Stadium on 17 November 2018. The goal proved to be a crucial one as Jordan won the game 2-1.

The 36-year-old has won 6 Jordan Premier League titles with Al-Wehdat and is currently a part of the club Shabab Al-Ordon.

#1 Ahmed Mubarak Al-Mahaijri (162 caps)

The Omani player Ahmed Mubarak, better known as Ahmed Kano, will be the highest capped player to be playing at the 2019 Asian Cup.

The defensive midfielder has scored 20 goals in 162 appearances for the national team. His last goal for Oman came on 25 December 2017 against Kuwait in the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup.

The 33-year-old currently plays for Al-Mesaimeer SC which plays in the Qatar Stars League.

# James Younghusband (100 caps) - Honourable mention

James Younghusband is a vital cog for the national team

The Philippines will be making their debut in the coveted Asian tournament. One of the players to watch out for is their right winger James Younghusband. The 32-year-old has the most number of national caps in the Philippines national team.

James has played for multiple clubs throughout his career. Staines Town, Woking, Farnborough, San Beda FC, Meralco Manila are some of the clubs he has played for in the past and he is currently a part of Davao Aguilas.

The veteran player has 12 goals for the national team and the latest one came against Vietnam during the 2018 AFF Championship in December 2018.

Edited by Nishant Jayaram