Triumphs and Upsets at the 2024 Asia Cup

Triumphs and Upsets at the Asia Cup

By Alice Liu

March 8, 2024

Throughout January and February 2024, 24 teams competed in hopes of bringing home the Asia Cup Trophy.

The Men's AFC Asia Cup is an international football tournament organized by the Asia Football Confederation. It involves national teams throughout Asia and Australia. Like the World Cup, it is held every 4 years. 

Among the 24 teams that qualified for the Asia Cup this year, there were fan favorites such as South Korea and Japan. There were also countries who made their Asia Cup debut, such as Indonesia. Past champions who qualified this year include Qatar (the 2019 winner and this year’s Asia Cup host), 4-time winner Japan, and 3-time winner Saudi Arabia.

After the Group Stages and Rounds of 16’s, only 8 teams made it to the quarter finals. Japanese fans were left devastated when Iran won against Japan with a final score of 2-1. During the quarter final matches, Jordan became the first team from their country to make it to the Finals when they won against South Korea with a score of 2-0. Many Korean fans blamed South Korean Football Team Manager Jürgen Klinsmann, with some even calling for him to resign. Amid criticism from fans, Vice President of Korea Football Association Han Joon-Hee commented that Son Heung Min, Captain and Forward of the Korean National Soccer Team, is “a kind of player who would play whenever his country needs him to, no matter how exhausted… At Son's age he would be fatigued. Nevertheless, Son laying down everything when the country needs him? I don't think that's his character.” 

The final match between Qatar and Jordan was held on February 10th, 2024 (coinciding with Lunar New Year) at Lusail Stadium, the biggest Stadium in Qatar and location of the 2022 World Cup Final. It was an eventful game with 6 yellow cards (double the normal standard in an Asia Cup game) and 29 fouls, which was more than expected compared with other league finals. In the end, Qatar won 3-1 with Akram's Afifs hat tricks (a goal-scoring technique) in penalties. This is the second time in a row that Qatar both won and hosted the Asia Cup, defending its against first-time finalist Jordan.

Similar to the World Cup, Copa America, and Africa Cup, the Asia Cup is an exciting international football tournament that brings together many countries in their love for football/soccer. In 2027, the world’s eyes will be on the next Asia Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia.