Hong Kong (CNN) -- The news that Alex Ferguson is stepping down as Manchester United manager after 26 trophy-laden seasons will be reverberating far beyond British shores Wednesday, and no more so than in Asia where the club has a huge following. To put this in perspective, a study recently commissioned by the newly-crowned English Premier League champions showed that the team's global fan base had doubled to 659 million people between 2007 and 2012 -- with 325 million fans from Asia alone. The figures are staggering, though the number of Manchester United shirts -- official merchandise or not -- that can be seen around the streets of any major city in the region, from Bangkok to Shanghai, goes some way towards illustrating this phenomenal interest.
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Under Alex Ferguson, Manchester United has become hugely popular globally
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Recent survey reveals United has 325 million fans in Asia alone
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English champions regularly play in lucrative pre-season Asia tours
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Journalist: "The one thing Asian football fans value above anything else is winning"
Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
But most of their popularity is down to their triumphs in the last 20 years under @placeholder.