FOOTBALL – ASIAN icon Salem Al Dawsari was crowned the latest AFC Player of the Year yesterday at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025, presented be NEOM.
The Al Hilal SFC superstar became the first Saudi Arabian to win the prestigious accolade twice and the fourth to do so after Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata (1997, 1998), Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov (2008, 2011) and Qatar’s Akram Afif (2019, 2023).
Having claimed the prize in 2022, Al Dawsari’s triumph at the King Fahad Cultural Centre also meant that Al Hilal and Saudi Arabia have produced the most recipients of any club (six) and Member Association (seven) respectively. He beat out Afif and Arif Aiman Hanapi, who was the first-ever Malaysian nominee.
Despite turning 34 in August, the Saudi Arabian great remains at the top of his game and one of the leading lights on the Continent after turning in a superb 2024/25 campaign.
With 10 goals in the AFC Champions League Elite, Al Dawsari finished as the top scorer during Al Hilal’s run to the semi-finals. Domestically, a return of 15 goals and 15 assists saw him pick up the Best Saudi Player trophy, while his assist tally was the joint-most in a single season and also saw him become the league’s all-time assist leader.
Korea;s Lee Kang-in was duly rewarded for his stunning form in the 2024/25 season after being named the AFC Asian International Player of the Year (Men) at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025 yesterday.
Held at the dazzling King Fahad Cultural Centre, the 24-year-old fended off the challenge of Iran’s Mehdi Taremi and Japan’s Takefusa Kubo to land the accolade in Asian football.
A sparkling 2024/25 season saw Hana Takahashi land the coveted AFC Women’s Player of the Year accolade.
The 25-year-old became the 19th winner of the award on her first nomination and the sixth Japanese recipient.
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