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Australia’s Alex Badolato named as AFC U-20 Asian Cup MVP
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Stars from across the continent impressed in the qualifiers for Chile 2025
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Young Socceroos joined by Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia in reaching the U-20 World Cup
Central string-pullers, powerful wide providers and silky stoppers were all on display over the past month as the Asian football spotlight shone on the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
With the curtain now drawn on the AFC U-20 Asian Cup, the four nations set to represent the planet’s largest continent at its leading youth football tournament are confirmed, with Australia, Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia punching their tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup™.
The Young Socceroos’ title triumph was a watershed moment as it was the first time that Australia had won a continental title at any youth level, either men’s or women’s, since their shift to Asia two decades ago.
In recent editions, the U-20 World Cup has provided a platform for some of Asia’s brightest young talents to flourish, with the likes of Qatar’s creator-in-chief Akram Afif, Japanese midfield maestros Takefusa Kubo and Ritsu Doan, Korean powerhouse Lee Kangin and Uzbek gate-closer Abdukodir Khusanov all impressing on the global stage.
Hopes are high then that the latest crop of Asian starlets can follow in those footsteps and here FIFA spotlights a quintet of youngsters set to shine in Chile later this year.
Alex Badolato (Australia) | Forward
It was quite the 20th birthday for Australia’s breakout star. A day before reaching that milestone, the forward scored the winning goal in a 3-2 win over Iraq in the quarter-finals that secured the nation’s ticket to Chile 2025. Having had the unusual experience of being loaned from one A-League club to another during the tournament itself the explosive winger announced himself as a star of the future in China. Primarily stationed on the left wing in the Young Socceroos’ 4-4-2 set-up, Badolato was a constant threat with his pace and power and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after Australia’s win on penalties against Saudi Arabia in the final.
Bassam Hazazi (Saudi Arabia) | Central midfielder
Playing as one of the two central midfielders in Saudi Arabia’s preferred 4-4-2 set-up, Hazazi was the Young Green Falcons’ tone-setter on their march to the final. Signed to a four-year-deal by powerhouse Pro League side Al Nassr this January, the 19-year-old has fine tactical awareness, measured passing and genuine speed that allowed him to make some outstanding covering tackles. He may have missed the deciding spot-kick in the penalty shootout loss to Australia in the final but that shouldn’t dampen what was a superb tournament overall.
Kazunari Kita (Japan) | Central defender
For a long time Japan’s strengths have been built on their creativity in advanced roles but this current generation is very much centred around an outstanding defence. Stationed between the equally impressive left-back Niko Takahashi and captain Rion Ichihara is a modern-day prototype in Kazunari Kita. The 189cm left-footer from Kyoto is an aggressive central defender, constantly looking to split the opposition open with laser-like passes and who caught the eye with a combativeness in duals and precise marking.
Paul Okon-Engstler (Australia) | Central midfielder
Arguably the standout player at the entire tournament was Australia’s base-sitting central midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler. The son of a former Socceroos great, who was also the head coach the last time the nation qualified for the U-20 World Cup, the left-footed space-splitter was a metronomic tempo-setter for the champions. Technically superb and comfortable in keeping play ticking over in tight spaces, the Benfica-based youngster has very much the look of a senior star in waiting.
Shin Minha (Korea Republic) | Central defender
In a squad packed with talent, where central midfield duo Shin Seong and Son Seungmin also caught the eye, it was Shin Minwa who played a crucial role for Korea Republic at both ends of the pitch. The imposing central defender was a regular at the back as one of two central options in his nation’s 4-4-2 set-up where he showed good positional awareness, dual-winning ability and incisive passing. He was also an unexpected, and vital, threat from set-pieces, scoring a brace in Korea’s decisive quarter-final win over Uzbekistan that booked their passage to Chile.
