AFC
Seoul
Qatar talisman Akram Afif could become the first player from his nation to win the AFC Player of the Year accolade twice, following a sensational 2023-24 campaign.
Nominated for a second occasion, the 2019 recipient will fancy his chances of a repeat triumph at the AFC Annual Awards Seoul 2023 that takes place on Tuesday evening, October 29, at the Grand Peace Palace of the Kyung Hee University.
Afif spearheaded Qatar’s stunning defence of the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year, claiming the Most Valuable Player and Yili Top Scorer prizes, while he was named Best Player in the Qatar Stars League after helping Al Sadd SC to a record 17th league title.
The mercurial forward could also become only the third man to win the award more than once after Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata (1997, 1998) and Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov (2008, 2011) – an achievement he will cherish.
"I am very happy to be nominated again and it is something very special, there are no words to describe how grateful and happy I am,” Afif told the-AFC.com.
"I hope that I can be the third player to win it twice and also the first Qatari to do so; it would mean a lot to me and I could make history in Qatar.”
The 27-year-old will face stiff competition though from first-time nominees Yazan Al Naimat and Seol Young-woo, who expressed their delight at being in the running.
"I am very proud to be the first ever Jordanian player to be nominated for this award,” Al Naimat told the-AFC.com. "If I manage to win this award, it will be an honour for me and all my teammates, and will motivate me to produce more on and off the field; certainly, being among the best three players in Asia is (already) a great honour.”
Seol, the first South Korea nominee since Ha Dae-sung in 2013, said: "There are many more outstanding players than me in the Korea Republic and the fact that I have been nominated is such a privilege. I am not sure if I deserve this award yet; however, if I do receive it, I would like to think that it is not because I am an outstanding player, but rather a reminder that I should contribute even more to the development of Korean football in the future.”
The trio were all quick to pay tribute to their support system for spurring them on, with Afif noting: "The key (to success) is how much I can sacrifice to win and to perform; sure, there will (always) be ups and downs, but I never forget the people who always helped me – my lovely wife, my family and others in the club and national team, so I always do my best to make them happy and proud.”
Al Naimat, who was part of the side that reached their maiden AFC Asian Cup Final and also scored their sole goal there, credited the "teamwork” of the Jordan Football Association, the backroom staff and his team-mates, adding: "Our achievement in reaching the Final was not a coincidence, but a true reflection of the development efforts for the national team at all levels.”
For Seol, 2023-24 was a breakout season as the dynamic full-back made his Taeguk Warriors debut and starred at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, having helped hometown club Ulsan HD win a second straight K League 1 crown and reach the last four of the AFC Champions League 2023-24.
Reflecting on the campaign as a "period of significant change” in his playing career, Seol has since embraced a new journey by joining Serbian giants Crvena Zvezda in July and is determined to hit new heights.
"This has been a massive experience and challenge, and I feel like I have grown a lot through this process,” the 25-year-old said. "Deciding to move to Serbia from Ulsan, where I had never left since childhood, was a huge challenge. It was the first step towards the global football stage I have always dreamed of.”
Meanwhile, a historic qualification to the FIFA World Cup is firmly on Al Naimat’s mind, with Jordan in contention to clinch an automatic berth in the ongoing AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26. "My ambition, like any player, is to strive towards greater levels… and bring pride to my country in every way, most notably by achieving our dream of reaching the 2026 World Cup,” he declared.
And for all that he has already achieved, Afif – two-time Asian champion and four-time league winner, among others – is not planning to rest on his laurels either.
"My future plans are to keep putting in maximum performances and to win trophies with my club and national team,” he asserted. "And to win the AFC Player of the Year for a third, fourth and fifth time.”
On Tuesday, the proceedings will kick off with a stellar tribute to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who will be recognised for his invaluable contributions to the development of Asian football with the prestigious AFC Diamond of Asia accolade.
This 28th edition of the AFC Annual Awards also features three new additions to the line-up, including the AFC Asian International Player of the Year (Women) prize, which will complement its Men’s counterpart and reflects the remarkable rise of Asia’s women footballers.
Adding further lustre to the night, the AFC Asian Cup Host Appreciation Award and the AFC President’s Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution will be introduced for the first time this year.
Hosted by Park Jae-min and Michelle Lee, and featuring a headline performance by K-pop group as well as dazzling display segments from the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre and 1MILLION Dance Studio, the AFC Annual Awards Seoul 2023 is set to be a memorable one.Mercurial Al Sadd and Qatar forward Akram Afif could also become only the third man to win the award more than once after Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata (1997, 1998) and Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov (2008, 2011) – an achievement he will cherish.