The ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 came to a thrilling conclusion with Vietnam defeating Thailand 3-2 in Bangkok for a 5-3 aggregate win in the final on Sunday.
From rock-solid displays at the back to providing crucial contributions at the other end of the pitch, the defenders left their mark on the 15th edition of the tournament.
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 defender at the foot of the article.
Kike Linares (Philippines)
No defender has had a more clutch moment in the entire tournament than Philippines’ Kike Linares, who only started due to captain Amani Aguinaldo’s suspension in the semi-final first leg. The 25-year-old scored the winning goal in the 95th minute for his nation’s first win against Thailand in 52 years. A moment he will cherish for the rest of his life!
Do Duy Manh (Vietnam)
Do Duy Manh has been a face of stability in the Vietnamese national team over the years, and it was he who lifted the trophy in his nation’s third - and his second - ASEAN Championship success. The centre-back featured in all but one match for Vietnam and despite only playing just the second half in their semi-final first leg away to Singapore, Duy Manh was so influential in keeping a potent Singaporean attack at bay that he was named the Man of the Match in a crucial 2-0 victory.
Suphanan Bureerat (Thailand)
Thailand right-back Suphanan Bureerat was a regular feature for his side, possessing all the attributes of a modern full-back. The Port FC man, who has featured against the likes of Saudi Arabia and the Korea Republic in recent times, finished off a sweeping counter-attack against the Philippines in the semi-final first leg by connecting with his first touch following a Patrik Gustavsson pass for a goal that ultimately proved to be a priceless moment for Thailand.
Muhammad Ferarri (Indonesia)
Team Garuda’s captain for the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024, Muhammad Ferarri scored not once but twice to finish as the joint-top scoring defender in the tournament. Both of Ferarri’s goals came with his head against Laos, first connecting with a Pratama Arhan long throw and then guiding his Persija Jakarta teammate Dony Tri Pamungkas’ corner home for his second of the night.
Safuwan Baharudin (Singapore)
Boasting an impressive 120 international caps, Safuwan Baharudin is a stalwart of Singaporean football and the centre-back showed his defensive solidity throughout the tournament. His most telling contribution came in the Causeway Derby against Malaysia when his heroic goalline clearance helped take the Lions through to the semi-finals.
Adrian Ugelvik (Philippines)
Adrian Ugelvik didn’t feature in Philippines’ first two matches and it was a baptism of fire in his ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ debut against Vietnam, but one that he passed with flying colours. Ugelvik won several aerial duels and was overall excellent as the Filipinos drew 1-1 with the defender duly adjudged as the Man of the Match for his display.
Bui Tien Dung (Vietnam)
In 2019, Bui Tien Dung scored the winning penalty to send Vietnam through to the AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals after knocking out Jordan. Fast forward to almost six years, and he still remains an instrumental figure with Vietnam winning every match he has featured in at the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024. After recovering from a knee injury, Tien Dung has made a comeback into the national team under Kim Sang-sik with his passing accuracy in addition to his understanding of the game proving to be an invaluable asset to the Golden Star Warriors once again.
Nicholas Mickelson (Thailand)
I had a feeling we would get through to the final 💪
— ASEAN United FC (@aseanutdfc) January 1, 2025
🇹🇭 Nicholas Mickelson on the Semi-Final triumph and facing Vietnam in the Final.#MitsubishiElectricCup#ASEANUtdFC pic.twitter.com/n0DgZNV0oP
Another Thailand full-back, Nicholas Mickelson rounds out our list and is gradually becoming a key player for the national team. The 25-year-old, who was born in Norway, played the full 90 minutes in three AFC Asian Cup matches under Masatada Ishii and his head coach again trusted him on the flanks. He performed well once more and even bagged the 10th goal in a massive win against Timor-Leste on the opening day.
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