Soccer in Asia

 The game of soccer is very popular in many Asian countries. Numerous Asian
 countries have been able to qualify and also perform exceedingly well in the World
 Cup.
 
 The Asian Football Federation had a prime role in taking the sport of football to  the
 Asian masses. The Asian countries had a major influence in the way the present
 game of soccer is being played. The Asians players are not as tall as their European
 and African counterparts. But they manage to utilize their own style of playing which
 is very distinct from the European style. That is what adds the spice to the sport of 
 soccer; the competition between 2 teams with different styles of playing the game.

 Some of the more prominent soccer nations in Asia include: South Korea, Japan, Iran, 
 Saudi Arabia. Those teams have taken part in World Cup matches as well as Asiatic  
 soccer tournaments and many of them are covered by the world media. Below is a
 description of some major soccer nations from Asia:

 Soccer in Japan is formally governed by the J. League and the Japan Football
 Association. The history of soccer in Japan, dates back to the Meiji period. The Far
 Eastern Championship Games ushered Japan's emergence as one of the major football
 powers in Asia after a 3-3 draw with China to win their first ever official championship
 title. Japan also gained their first Olympic victory in the 1936 Berlin Olympic where
 they won against Sweden by 3-2. Their next success in the Olympics came in the
 1968 games where the national team secured third place and won a bronze medal.

 With the introduction of the J. League the craze for soccer in Japan had increased 
 dramatically. The quick transformation allowed Japan to co-host the 2002 World Cup
 along with Korea after making it to the finals for the first time in 1998. The
 Japanese national team put up an inspiring performance by progressing to the Round
 of 16.

 Soccer in Japan has also made its way into popular fiction. The character of Captain
 Tsubasa became extremely popular especially among youngsters.

 Soccer in Saudi Arabia is worth mentioning when it comes to tracing the story of
 progress in Asian football. The Asian Cup, the most sought after of football
 tournaments in Asia, was won by Saudi Arabia three times.

 Football is by far the most popular sport in Saudi Arabia. Football in Saudi Arabia is 
 officially under the charge of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation. The sport received
 a tremendous boost after thenational team qualified for the World Cup in the 1994. New
 stadiums were built and sponsors rushed in with lucrative contracts.

 Football in Saudi Arabia has a unique record in its repertoire. The team's goalkeeper,
 Mohamed Al-Deayea, is the world record holder for most international appearances by a
 male footballer.