In the 20-year history of the AFF Suzuki Cup a dozen different players have won the coveted Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer but with none of those likely to appear at the forthcoming edition one thing’s for sure and that’s a new name will sit atop the scoring charts.

Three times in the past four editions it’s been Thai megastar, Teerasil Dangda, that’s finished on top of the scoring charts and Adisak Kraisorn will be hoping to keep that mantle in Thai hands.

He’ll have plenty of competition though from the likes of an experienced Vietnamese campaigner, a trio of young stars from Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar as well as an unlikely 37-year-old Indonesia forward.

Let’s take a look at some of the leading contenders for one of the most coveted individual honours in Southeast Asian football.

Adisak Kraisorn (Thailand)

Whilst it’s not yet exactly sure who will be charged with one of the most difficult tasks in Southeast Asian football – filling the boots of Teerasil Dangda – there’s a good chance that the experienced Adisak Kraisorn could well be that man.

Having been part of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup title-winning squad (where he scored twice against Malaysia) the 27-year-old is an experienced campaigner and if earns a starting spot he’s more than capable of displaying his clinical finishing skills in what should be a high-scoring team and that rightly sees him as amongst the frontrunners to finish top of the scoring charts.

Chan Vathanaka (Cambodia)

The pinup boy of Cambodian football announced his presence on the regional stage by scoring both goals in the Angkor Warriors 3-2 loss to Malaysia in the opening match of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup.

Since then he’s had club experience in both Japan and Malaysia and has been in good form leading up to the regional showpiece and is sure to be a major part of any success that Cambodia may have in a tournament where they’ll play two home matches for the first time.

Nguyen Anh Duc (Vietnam)

Likely to be the main option up front in a Vietnamese side that’s tipped as amongst the tournament favourites, Nguyen Anh Duc will certainly have the chance to make his mark in the race for the Golden Boot.

At 33, the powerful forward is easily the elder statesman in a youthful Golden Stars side but has the positional awareness and touch in front of goal to capitalize on what should be a steady stream of service coming his way from the creative Vietnamese midfield.

Phil Younghusband (Philippines)

Already the Philippines’ most-capped player and leading scorer, Younghusband will look to extend both those marks at the upcoming finals.

One of the few players to have scored in three separate editions (2010, 2012, 2014) of the AFF Suzuki Cup, the 31-year-old could confirm his reputation as one of the most dangerous forwards to have graced the competition should he increase that mark to four.

As the Azkals’ talisman in front of goal and with strong recent form to take into the tournament the younger of the two Younghusband brothers set to feature for the Philippines is surely a strong contender to finish near the top of the scoring charts.

Alberto ‘Beto’ Goncalves (Indonesia)

It might seem somewhat unusual to have a 37-year-old who only made his international debut less than a month out from the tournament as amongst the leading contenders to top the scoring charts but having made an immediate impact for the Merah Putih he’s well placed to do so.

Looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow naturalised Indonesian Cristian Gonzales (whose three goals made him the second highest scorer at the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup) the Brazilian-born forward has scored goals for fun in his decade-long spell in Indonesia and having taken up citizenship he also caught the eye at the recent Asian Games as an overage player with the U23 squad.

A goal and an assist on debut against Myanmar earlier this month was followed by another strike in a 1-1 draw with Hong Kong – the perfect kind of form to announce yourself on the eve of the regional showpiece.

Safawi Rasid (Malaysia)

Malaysia’s chief creative threat could also likely emerge as their main source of goals given his ability from set-piece situations as well as a willingness to run at defenders time after time.

With a striker’s mentality and clinical finishing skills even from what may be a wider position on the right wing, the 21-year-old has shown an ability to plunder goals at all levels and he could easily leave his mark on the tournament for a Malaysian side that many expect to do well.

Aung Thu (Myanmar)

Having showcased his scoring prowess at the previous edition of the AFF Suzuki Cup, where he grabbed goals in back-to-back group stage encounters against Vietnam and Cambodia, Aung Thu has quickly emerged as Myanmar’s most potent goalscorer.

At just 22 years of age but already blessed with solid international experience and a career playing in one of the region’s strongest domestic leagues, the Thai-based forward is a good bet to be not only the Asian Lions’ leading scorer but also amongst the main contenders for the Golden Boot.