Malaysia’s Dion Cools continues to make waves in Asian football after being ranked among the top three defenders in terms of ball possession success in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 Round of 16.
The Buriram United right-back secured third place on the list, with 48 successful tackles, surpassing global stars like Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) and Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal), who both recorded 44 successful possessions.
Cools’ defensive prowess places him among the best, trailing only Park Tae-joon (Gwangju FC) and Roger Ibanez (Al-Ahli), who lead the rankings with 68 and 65 successful possessions, respectively.
However, with Tae-joon set to begin South Korean national service in April and temporarily joining Gimcheon Sangmu, his numbers may remain static—giving Ibanez and Cools a strong opportunity to climb higher in the rankings as the ACL progresses.
The 26-year-old Harimau Malaya star is expected to be a key figure for Buriram United when they face Al-Ahli in the ACL quarter-final on April 27. Head coach Osmar Loss Vieira is likely to rely on Cools’ defensive solidity against a formidable Al-Ahli attack led by stars like Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
