Image Credit: Vachira Kalong, Fox Sports, Hupu, Thanh Nien, Myanmar Times, Tasnim News, Getty, Ezequiel Lavezzi (Twitter), Bali United, FIFA, Football Tribe
Defender: Gao Zhunyi (Hebei China Fortune, China NT)
The 21-year-old, a rare example of a Chinese player who cut his teeth in the J.League, has been a major asset for Hebei China Fortune in this year’s campaign.
His precise tackles and match-reading abilities were a big part of the side’s three clean sheets in August. While Gao watched China’s 1-0 win over Uzbekistan from the bench, he is emerging as one of the country’s most promising defenders.