As the Premier League burns on through the winter, as Michel’s Girona light up La Liga, and as Xabi Alonso’s stocks go through the roof at Leverkusen, there’s been a huge football narrative outside of Europe that hasn’t had the spotlight it deserves.

And despite its glaringly obvious value to the world – I’m not here to talk about AFCON. Instead, it’s the AFC Asian Cup that’s due some much needed praise for the joy it’s brought to the world far beyond the field of play.

What pushes football beyond all other sports and into something culturally transformative, is the power and influence underpinning the game’s biggest teams, characters and stories. 

In international tournaments, teams that represent people who are otherwise underrepresented in other areas of global life have the potential to bring their country’s culture and causes to the world’s attention.

Within this year’s AFC Asian Cup, look no further for evidence of this than Palestine’s success. 

The team’s 3-0 victory over Hong Kong meant Palestine progressed into the last-16 stage of the tournament for the first time in their history, all against the backdrop of violence, oppression and occupation back home.

Against all odds, their progression in this tournament was a display of strength from a squad that acted as an international symbol of pride and unity from the Palestinian state. At a time of great trauma, this team provided power to their people.

It’s no secret that Palestine has had an unfairly hard road cementing a statehood that’s recognised by so many global political standards – but within football, the AFC has always recognised and accepted Palestine’s right to participate.

Historically, the AFC Asian Cup has also provided football with some of its more underrated on-pitch stories. As an international competition, it has acted as a springboard for many blossoming careers. Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou comes to mind immediately, having taken charge of Australia between 2013 and 2017, winning the AFC Asian Cup with the Socceroos.

For the younger players involved, it’s a chance to compete for international glory and incentivises players to play for their ancestral country – as a source of national pride – rather than waiting for the uncertain opportunities to play for their born European countries. 

This platform also acts as advertisements for domestic leagues outside of Europe. It’s a big shame that a player like Qatar’s Akram Afif doesn’t have his ability beamed into homes across the world every weekend. His all-encompassing quality – with the ability to pick up the ball from the central defenders, roam into midfield, and all the way into attack – is how young children who play in playgrounds wish to play. And yet his magical command of the football would be a mystery to European audiences without the presence of the AFC Asian Cup.

Asian football also boasts an impressive variety of countries and tactics that stray away from the homogeneity of the big five leagues. Guardiola’s influence inspires the style of high possession, low risk, 3-2-5 formations that’s common in so much European football. Naturally, teams interpret this philosophy in their own way but for international teams – particularly smaller football nations with tight talent pools – the approach is totally different.

Zico’s Asian Cup triumph in 2004 with Japan is a prime example. His encouragement of a tactically braver and more expressive – almost Brazilian – style of play differed vastly from predecessor Philippe Troussier’s approach. This was Zico’s first head coaching role too, previously working in technical management roles, and the Asian Cup acted as the initial springboard in a similar manner to the aforementioned Postecoglou. 

National pride and rivalry were seen when Japan faced China in the final of that same tournament, a game where the stakes couldn’t have been higher. 

The AFC Asian Cup provides hope and opportunity for so many who may otherwise be overlooked – both inside and outside of football’s confines. Protect it and cherish it at all costs.

@umirf1

Football is one of the few establishment spaces where Palestine is unequivocally seen as ‘Palestine’. The importance for at-home Palestinians and the country’s diaspora can’t be underestimated. Seeing their country win on a level playing field is a beautiful thing that embodies hope – and it’s a form of soft power that hopefully encourages other influential spaces to improve solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The rise of fan content has also given us a window into the effect these ‘football stories’ can have on an individual level. Palestinian content creator, BdairBall, has been raising money for emergency funds in Gaza via his live streams during the Asian Cup. Three of the team’s players against UAE originated from Gaza themselves, and their success also provided a proof point for BdairBall of how tragic recent events have been: “How many brilliant doctors, scientists, engineers, everything, footballers…just how much talent and brilliance has been lost?” 

Those were the brave and authentic musings of a Palestinian man mid-football match, and it’s not an exaggeration or misrepresentation of the situation either. Susan Shalabi’s role as the vice-president of the Palestine FA now includes documenting the ever-increasing deaths of its registered players — a long list with many child fatalities.