With the eagerly awaited draw for the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup group stage fast approaching, we’ve picked out eight need-to-know stats and facts from a tournament that sparks intense rivalry across the ASEAN region.

Rich History

The 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup will be the 12th edition of a regional competition that started out in 1996 in Singapore. That inaugural tournament was won by Thailand following a 1-0 victory over Malaysia, while the War Elephants were also triumphant in the most recent edition after a 3-2 aggregate win over Indonesia in 2016.

The Dominant Force

Indeed Thailand have been the most successful team in the competition as the regional powerhouse also claimed the title in 2000, 2002, and 2014. The five-time champions are one ahead of Singapore on four, while both Vietnam and Malaysia have one title apiece.

Unlucky Losers

The most unfortunate side in the history of the Suzuki Cup has to be Indonesia, who, despite reaching the final on five occasions, have lost out each time. The Garuda came closest to winning in 2002 when they lost to Thailand on penalties following a 2-2 draw.

Top of the Pile

Singapore’s Noh Alam Shah is the competition’s all-time top scorer with 17 goals to his name, including strikes in his country’s victorious 2004 and 2007 campaigns. Thailand’s Worrawoot Srimaka and Vietnam’s Le Cong Vinh (both retired) have 15, as does another Thai, Teerasil Dangda, who could jump to the top of the standings later this year.

Back of the Net

When it comes to scoring records, you can look no further than Alam Shah, whose 10 goals in the 2007 edition is the highest total in a single tournament. That tally included an incredible seven-goal haul – also a record – in a resounding 11-0 group stage win over Laos.

Scoring for Fun

Speaking of high tallies, the biggest win in the Suzuki Cup’s history came back in the 2002 group stage when Indonesia routed the Philippines 13-1. Garuda legend Bambang Pamungkas and strike partner Zaenal Arief netted four apiece, before Indonesia advanced to the final only to lose to Thailand in front of 100,000 spectators at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Best of the Best

In 11 tournaments, 10 players have picked up the much-coveted MVP award for the best individual performance over the course of the tournament. Until 2016, no player had won the accolade twice, but Thailand’s prodigious talent Chanathip Songkrasin put paid to that when he added the award to the one he claimed in 2014.

The Cast

For only the third time in the tournament’s history, there will be 10 nations competing for the right to be crowned champions at the end of 2018. Over the years, 11 teams have participated in the competition, with only Timor-Leste missing from the inaugural tournament in Singapore and Brunei Darussalam the sole absentee from the 2004 edition in Malaysia and Vietnam.