October 16: Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al Dawsari is in line for a third AFC Player of the Year title after being named alongside legendary Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and Al Ahli striker Feras Al Brikan in the shortlist for next month’s AFC Awards in Bangkok.
The 35-year-old Al Hilal captain, who won the award in 2022 and last year, is nominated for the third time in four editions after another trophy-laden season at club level.
Al Dawsari captained Al Hilal to an unbeaten domestic league campaign and a record 10th Copa del Rey, while featuring in the last 16 of the AFC Elite Champions League.
His three World Cup appearances this summer took him to nine at the tournament, second most on Saudi Arabia’s all-time list.
A third win would take him clear of all previous winners since the award was introduced.
Competition comes from veteran Beiranvand, nominated for the second time after helping Iran narrowly miss the last 16 of the World Cup and guiding Tractor FC to the last 16 of the Champions League Elite, and Al Brikan, whose first nomination comes after a decisive year in which he scored the winner as Al Ahli retained the AFC Champions League Elite title.
On the women’s side, Melbourne City striker Holly McNamara is shortlisted for the second consecutive year after winning back-to-back domestic Golden Boots and finishing as top scorer in the AFC Women’s Champions League.
She is joined by DPRK striker Kim Kyong Yong, who scored the winning goal as Naegohyang Women’s FC became the first North Korean club (men’s or women’s) to win an AFC competition, and Republic of Korea defender Kim Hye-ri.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Lee Kang-in is favorite to retain the AFC Asian International Player of the Year award against compatriot Hwang In-beom and Japan’s Ayase Ueda.
In the women’s international category, Manchester City’s Yui Hasegawa is nominated for a third consecutive edition along with Alanna Kennedy and Caitlin Foord.
A total of 19 awards will be presented at the Aksra Theater on November 19, the second time Bangkok has hosted the annual AFC awards ceremony after hosting for the first time in 2017.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
