The domestic competition in Korea Republic belatedly kicks off at the weekend, with defending K League champions Jeonbuk hosting FA Cup winners Suwon Samsung Bluewings at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in the traditional curtain-raiser to the league season on Friday evening.

And, with the vast majority of other leagues across the globe currently on hiatus due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Korea Republic international believes the match offers the ideal chance to highlight the strength of the game in the East Asian country.

China PR will face Korea Republic in the two-legged play-off, which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and veteran head coach Jia Xiuquan believes the Steel Roses need regular training camps to improve physically and technically.

Football was halted in Palestine in March following the COVID-19 outbreak but following Thursday’s meeting, it was decided that the clubs will have two weeks to prepare for the resumption of the Palestine Pro League.

“The football association wants to work with the clubs in order to finish the current season amid this pandemic,” said Rajoub. “We want to preserve the lives of the players and protect the clubs at the same time.

“The resumption of the league is a necessity and it is for the interest of the clubs, the league and the Football Association.”

Featuring a game-defining save from the 2014 final, a jaw-dropping effort from the 2018 semi-final and several other classics, our latest edition is sure to evoke contrasting emotions.

Also take a look at past editions that feature acrobatic goals, solo goals, volleys, long-range screamers, chips, free-kicks, flicks, tricks and backheels and curlers.

Ali Al Habsi once harboured modest dreams of being able to watch top class football on TV. Now, at the age of 38 and having retired from international football earlier this year, the Omani legend can reflect back on an illustrious career that took him to Norway, England and Saudi Arabia.

A product of Arsenal’s youth academy, the now 38-year-old spent a year in Italy with Serie A side Perugia in the early 2000s and earned his only England cap – against France – when with second-tier side Cardiff City in 2010, before joining newly promoted Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League the following year.

After two years with his hometown club – which included a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday – the opportunity of a move to Bangkok arose. Speaking exclusively to the-AFC.com, Bothroyd reflects on five years that have seen him swap the Thai capital for Japan, joining first Jubilo Iwata and then Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, where he continues to find the back of the net with regularity.

Beginning with their second AFC Asian Cup title at Lebanon 2000 and culminating in Qatar 2011 with their fourth, and including two FIFA World Cup Round of 16 finishes, Japan enjoyed a period of dominance and records that few have accomplished before and since.

While their three Asian Cup championships from four tournaments is the physical evidence of their success, Japan also achieved record finishes at the FIFA Confederations Cup (runners-up) and the Asian Games (gold), while their efforts in the World Cup and Olympic Games were also, at the time, new milestones for the national side.