Five players to watch at Asian Cup #3

Iran have not won the Asian Cup since 1976 but the presence of Porto striker Taremi gives them their best chance of ending that drought. The 31-year-old has scored goals by the hatful since joining the Portuguese giants in 2020 and he has a prolific record for his country as well, also averaging a goal every other game.

Taremi has not always been an easy customer for coaches to deal with - he was dropped for two games in 2022 for criticising then Iran boss Dragan Skocic. But his quality is beyond doubt and he is likely to form a razor-sharp striking partnership with Roma forward Sardar Azmoun. Taremi was close to signing for AC Milan in the summer and a strong Asian Cup could put him back in the shop window.