AFC teams have scored 82 goals in six World Cups this century (13.67 per edition), compared to only 33 in 10 in the last one (3.30). They have also registered 21 victories since the third millennium, compared to just four before it.
Japan and Korea Republic got the transformation going at their home World Cup in 2002. The Samurai Blue finished top of their group, while the Taegeuk Warriors beat Poland and Portugal to win theirs, before going on to eliminate Italy and Spain and become the first Asians to reach the semi-finals.
Thereafter, AFC representatives’ highlights include IR Iran claiming four points from their challenging group in 2018, Korea Republic stunning Germany in that same edition, Australia reaching the last 16 in 2022, and Japan doing the same following heroic upsets of Germany and Spain.
