Vietnam emerged as the champions of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 after they overcame Thailand 3-2 in the second leg of the final in Bangkok on Sunday, sealing a 5-3 aggregate victory over the seven-time winners.
The 15th edition of the regional showpiece gave us plenty of memorable goals and there were some impressive displays from a number of forwards, who rose to the occasion for their nations and delivered on the grand stage.
Now that the tournament has wrapped up, ASEAN United FC lets you, the fans, pick your Best 11, including goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards, and in this section, you have the chance to vote for your favourite forward at the foot of the article.
Nguyen Tien Linh (Vietnam)
Nguyen Tien Linh, the joint top scorer at the 2022 edition, found minutes hard to come by in the presence of the prolific Nguyen Xuan Son. After starting their first two matches in the group stage, the 27-year-old made only six substitute appearances for champions Vietnam but still ended the tournament with four goals and two assists — a testament not only to his qualities as a striker but also the depth Kim Sang-sik had at his disposal as the Vietnam head coach this tournament.
Joao Pedro (Timor-Leste)
Timor-Leste entered the tournament as the lowest-ranked among the 10 participating nations but went home with their heads held high with a string of fighting displays against superior opposition. The driving force behind their charge was their captain Joao Pedro, who hogged the limelight with his pace and trickery on the wings and a couple of neat finishes. His best display came against Malaysia as he scored and set up a goal in a narrow 3-2 defeat while he was also on target against Cambodia in their final group fixture.
Suphanat Mueanta (Thailand)
Suphanat Mueanta moved up a gear or two with his performances for Thailand at the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup, with the 22-year-old not only scoring four goals but also bagging five assists and creating numerous chances for his teammates. It was Suphanat that Masatada Ishii banked on to take the Thais to a third straight title in the absence of Chanathip Songkrasin and Theerathon Bunmathan. Though the title did not come, Suphanat’s standing has improved considerably after some scintillating displays.
Faris Ramli (Singapore)
A long-serving member of the Singapore national team, Faris Ramli was instrumental in guiding the Lions to another semi-final appearance at the ASEAN Championship. Faris was on the scoresheet to help Tsutomu Ogura’s side make a winning start against Cambodia before the 32-year-old’s delightful curling effort against Thailand. This was the fourth consecutive edition of the tournament in which Faris had scored and his displays showed he still has plenty left in his tank for the Lions.
Bjorn Martin Kristensen (Philippines)
A new-look Philippines side have unearthed a calm and composed finisher in Bjorn Martin Kristensen, who finished his first-ever ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup with three goals. Born in Oslo, Kristensen represented Norway at the U-20 level before switching his allegiances to the Philippines last year and scored his debut goal in a friendly against Thailand in his third outing. Having reached the semi-finals this time, the Filipinos will hope to go further next time and the 22-year-old could be central to their plans.
Patrik Gustavsson (Thailand)
After marking his international debut with a goal and an assist in a friendly against Vietnam in October 2024, Patrik Gustavsson proved his credentials at the regional showpiece with four goals and two assists for the War Elephants. The 23-year-old Swedish-born attacker impressed with his towering presence inside the box and showcased his sharpshooting abilities during the tournament. With more displays like that, he could stake his claim to being the successor to the legendary Teerasil Dangda sooner rather than later.
Shawal Anuar (Singapore)
Shawal Anuar not only scored four goals in the competition to finish joint second among its leading goalscorers but also struck some absolute stunners for Singapore that will live long in the memories of the fans. His goal against seven-time champions Thailand was the pick among the lot as he delightfully controlled a goal kick from Singapore custodian Izwan Mahbud into his stride before planting a shot past Patiwat Khammai from far out to leave the Thais stunned and the home fans in awe.
Nguyen Xuan Son (Vietnam)
Nguyen Xuan Son was not on the Rajamangala Stadium turf when Vietnam lifted the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup as he was forced off in the second leg with a serious injury. But the striker, who only made his Vietnam debut in their final group match against Myanmar, left an indelible mark on the competition as he emerged not only as the top scorer with seven goals but was also named the most valuable player for his unstoppable displays leading the Vietnam attack.
Supachok Sarachat (Thailand)
And finally, Supachok Sarachat may not have featured until the knockout rounds but he gave a glimpse of his star quality in the final. Just when Thailand needed one of their big players to deliver, the winger curled a delightful 30-yard effort into the Vietnam goal to draw his side level on aggregate. Unfortunately for the Japan-based 26-year-old, it was not to be, but he did leave us all with a wonder strike to remember.
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