It may have been delayed by a year and forced into a bubble environment in Singapore, but the long wait for the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup – which ultimately concluded in 2022 – was well and truly worth the wait.
The biennial tournament to crown the leading nation in Southeast Asia, won this year by Thailand, has long been a breeding ground for the best talent in the region and this year was no exception.
The Asian Game takes a look at some of the young players that starred over the past month who should be on the radar of bigger clubs on the continent and beyond.
Nadeo Argawinata (Indonesia/GK)
The 24-year-old entered the tournament as Indonesia’s third choice keeper but form and injury saw him thrust into a starting role midway through the group stage and he never looked back.
At 187cm he has the height, showed comfort and poise in the air and was also impressive in his shot stopping and distribution.
Kritsada Kaman (Thailand/DF/MF)
In his first international tournament the 22-year-old was a standout and one of the leading defenders at the Suzuki Cup.
Excellent in one-on-one situations and with a fine reading of the play that led to 14 interceptions and 23 clearances, he’s also calm and poised on the ball when playing out from the back.
Remarkably, he’s normally deployed as a defensive midfielder at club level but showed over the past month that his future could well lay as a ball playing central defender.
Alfeandra Dewangga (Indonesia/DF/MF)
One of the breakout stars of the tournament and another who was competing on the international stage for the first time.
Shifting seamlessly between a role at the centre of a back four and as a central midfielder, the 20-year-old racked up an eye-catching 33 clearances and 25 interceptions on the Garuda’s run to the final.
A modern-day, ball-playing, defender who is technically refined is not always the kind of player that comes out of the region and he’s another who should be highly valued for those traits.
Pratama Arhan (Indonesia/DF)
The 20-year-old was yet another competing in his first international tournament who looked as though he’d been on that stage for years.
A dynamic presence at leftback, the youngster was solid in his defensive duties but really sparkled in pushing forward where he created the fifth highest number of chances at the tournament, notably from his booming throw-ins.
Witan Sulaeman (Indonesia/MF)
Yet another of this fine crop of young Indonesian talent, the 20-year-old is arguably the jewel in the crown and should be a key cog in the continued growth of his national team.
Predominantly lining up as a right winger, the European-based star also showed that he’s comfortable in a more central role where his quality on the ball shone through.
A tournament high five assists, two goals and 14 chances created speak to the threat that he provided for the defeated finalists and his vision, passing and dribbling all stood out – should be very high on the list of any club looking for the next generation of Southeast Asian talent to develop.
Nguyen Quang Hai (Vietnam/MF)
Those in the know have long been aware of the quality of, arguably, the region’s best player.
Setting aside the issues that often arise in trying to negotiate deals with Vietnamese clubs, it’s amazing that one of Asia’s best young talents remains in his homeland.
Even in a tournament where Vietnam weren’t at their best going forward, the 24-year-old once again dazzled with his vision, passing and movement all at the highest of levels as we’ve come to expect from the playmaking ace.
Supachok Sarachat (Thailand/MF)
Versatile to play anywhere across the advanced midfield lines or as a withdrawn striker, the 23-year-old was a lively and dangerous presence for the champions.
Powerful and direct in his running with the ball and with fine vision to bring others into the play, the creative midfield talent could step straight into clubs in either Japan or Korea and contribute.
Paulo Gali (Timor-Leste/MF/FWD)
A youthful Timor side may have been dumped out in the group stage, having lost all four of their matches, but they featured some dynamic attacking talents and a coach that allowed them to play.
The pick of the bunch was the electric winger Paulo Gali who is a pure dribbler, blessed with electric speed.
Listed at 17 (although there have been questions over the exact ages of some of the Timorese players in the past), Gali – along with his teammate in 19-year-old fellow winger Mouzinho – would make shrewd pickups for any club looking for young talents with all the raw tools to fashion into devasting attacking threats.
Photo: AFF Suzuki Cup
