Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari and Australia’s Samantha Kerr named AFC Players of the Year
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Saudi Arabia forward Salem Al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award, after fighting off competition from Australia’s Mathew Leckie and Almoez Ali of Qatar.
PHOTO: AFP
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DOHA – Saudi Arabia winger Salem Al-Dawsari and Australia striker Sam Kerr were named Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Players of the Year at a glitzy ceremony in Doha on Tuesday.
Al-Dawsari, who won the accolade of best men’s player, thanked his teammates, fans and family at the annual regional awards held in the Qatari capital.
“I thank my father, my mother and my teachers in life, and I also thank my wife and my sons and daughters. I am very happy with this achievement,” said the 32-year-old, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
The player also thanked political leadership in the Gulf monarchy, which is all but certain to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup following the withdrawal of Australia, the only other contender for the tournament, on Tuesday.
The Saudi player, who clinched the winning goal in his team’s upset win against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, fought off competition from Australia’s Mathew Leckie and Qatar’s Almoez Ali to win the award.
Kerr, who on Monday had finished as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or Feminin vote in Paris, won her award for the second time, having previously been named the confederation’s best female player in 2017.
The 30-year-old becomes the third woman to claim the award more than once, joining Japanese duo Aya Miyama and Homare Sawa as a multiple title-holder.
Sam Kerr of Australia on the attack chased by the Philippines’ Alicia Barker in the Women’s Olympic Asian qualifier at Optus Stadium in Perth on Oct 29, 2023.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
“I just want to say what an amazing honour it is to win this award, especially up against some amazing finalists,” said Kerr, who was given the award ahead of China’s Zhang Linyan and Saki Kumagai from Japan, the 2019 winner.
“It’s been an amazing year for me and my team and I just want to thank all my teammates, my coaches, my family and friends. It’s been amazing,” the Chelsea player and all-time Australia top goalscorer said, as she accepted the award in a video message.
The annual awards ceremony, which had been due to be held in Qatar in 2020, returned after a three-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan’s Hajime Moriyasu won the trophy for best men’s coach after leading the Samurai Blue to the last 16 at the World Cup, with victories over Germany and Spain in the group stage, before they fell to Croatia on penalties.
Shui Qingxia claimed the honours in the women’s coaching category after she led China to the Women’s Asian Cup last February in India, the country’s first continental title since 2006.
AFP, REUTERS
