Alireza Jahanbaksh — Iran

For someone who is only 25, Alireza Jahanbaksh sure does have a lot of experience under his belt. The winger moved to Dutch side NEC in his late teens and made his maiden World Cup appearance as a 20-year old at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also a part of the Iran team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2015 Asian Cup.

The same year saw him secure a move to Eredivisie giant AZ Alkmaar, a move which did wonders for his career. He became a regular in the team and with every passing campaign, he began to find the back of the net more frequently. In the 2017-18 season, he dished out a scintillating run that saw him score 21 goals and become the first Asian player to emerge as the top-scorer in a European league.

His fine form fetched him a spot in Iran’s 2018 FIFA World Cup squad and he played all three group stage matches, which included a creditable 1-1 draw against Euro 2016 champion Portugal.

His exploits in front of goal attracted interest from clubs across the globe and he was subsequently signed up by Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion in 2018 for a club record fee reported to be around £17 million.

Paired alongside fellow goal-getter Sardar Azmoun, he will be expected to spearhead Iran’s goal-scoring duties in the UAE.