Afif eyes historic second AFC player of the year award
DOHA: Qatari star Akram Afif could become the first player from his nation to win the AFC Player of the Year award twice, following an extraordinary 2023/24 season. Afif, who first won the accolade in 2019, is among the nominees for the prestigious honor at the AFC Annual Awards, which takes place today in Seoul.
Afif’s remarkable form has spearheaded Qatar’s successful defense of the AFC Asian Cup, where he was awarded both the Most Valuable Player and Yili Top Scorer titles. Additionally, he led Al Sadd SC to a record 17th Qatar Stars League title, earning the Best Player award for his stellar performances.
If successful, Afif would join the elite ranks of players who have won the award multiple times, alongside legends Hidetoshi Nakata of Japan (1997, 1998) and Server Djeparov of Uzbekistan (2008, 2011). The 27-year-old expressed his pride in the nomination, saying, “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.”
Afif faces tough competition from first-time nominees Yazan Al-Naimat and Seol Young-woo, but his achievements this season certainly place him as a strong contender for a historic second title.(Gulf Times)
