Tweet
Australia led the race to be named Asian Football Confederation (AFC) national team of the year as shortlists were released.
The Socceroos, who only joined the AFC in January, upstaged their Asian rivals by reaching the last 16 at the World Cup in Germany, only to be knocked out by a last-minute penalty against Italy.
It was the country's best-ever achievement in two World Cup campaigns, spanning 32 years.
Australia were also the first team through to the finals of the Asian Cup, to be hosted jointly by Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam next year.
Other nominees -- Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia -- all failed to get beyond the group stages at the World Cup.
In other nominations, South Korean teams Ulsan and Chonbuk will fight it out with Al Karameh of Syria and Al Qadisiya of Kuwait to be named club of the year.
The player of the year shortlist has yet to be released, with some crucial games still to come before the awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on November 29.
The Korean trio of Park Ji-sung at Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur's Lee Young-Pyo and Reading star Seol Ki-Hyeon are all expected to be in the hunt.
Park was the logical choice to receive the award last year but it controversially went to Saudi Arabian defender Hamad Al Montashari because the United playmaker could not appear at the awards night in Kuala Lumpur.
The requirement that a player must attend the ceremony to be considered for the award is retained this year, which could again impact on some of Asia's brightest stars.
North Korea under-20 coach Choe Kwang-Sok, China's women's team coach Ma Liangxing, Al Qadsiya's
The Socceroos, who only joined the AFC in January, upstaged their Asian rivals by reaching the last 16 at the World Cup in Germany, only to be knocked out by a last-minute penalty against Italy.
It was the country's best-ever achievement in two World Cup campaigns, spanning 32 years.
Australia were also the first team through to the finals of the Asian Cup, to be hosted jointly by Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam next year.
Other nominees -- Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia -- all failed to get beyond the group stages at the World Cup.
In other nominations, South Korean teams Ulsan and Chonbuk will fight it out with Al Karameh of Syria and Al Qadisiya of Kuwait to be named club of the year.
The player of the year shortlist has yet to be released, with some crucial games still to come before the awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on November 29.
The Korean trio of Park Ji-sung at Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur's Lee Young-Pyo and Reading star Seol Ki-Hyeon are all expected to be in the hunt.
Park was the logical choice to receive the award last year but it controversially went to Saudi Arabian defender Hamad Al Montashari because the United playmaker could not appear at the awards night in Kuala Lumpur.
The requirement that a player must attend the ceremony to be considered for the award is retained this year, which could again impact on some of Asia's brightest stars.
North Korea under-20 coach Choe Kwang-Sok, China's women's team coach Ma Liangxing, Al Qadsiya's