Seoul: Qatar’s Akram Afif was honored as the Asian Football Confederation’s men’s player of the year on Tuesday, while Japan’s Kiko Seike received the women’s accolade.
Afif, a forward, played a pivotal role in leading Qatar to victory in the Asian Cup earlier this year, where he was recognized as the tournament’s best player and secured the golden boot with eight goals, including a hat-trick against Jordan in the final match.
This marks the second occasion that the 27-year-old has been awarded the title of Asian player of the year, having previously won it in 2019 after Qatar’s inaugural Asian Cup triumph.
In addition to his international success, Afif contributed to his club, Al Sadd, achieving a domestic double in Qatar. During the AFC award ceremony held in Seoul, he expressed gratitude to his wife, teammates, and the national team coaches and administrative staff, stating, “I will strive to win this award for a third time.”
With this recognition, Afif joins the ranks of players who have won the award multiple times, following Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata and Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov.
On the women’s side, Seike earned the award after netting 20 goals, which helped Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies secure the Japanese domestic title for the second consecutive year.
Her contributions were also significant in Urawa’s success in the Asian club championship, and she was part of the Japan national team that reached the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics. Seike expressed her joy at receiving the prestigious award, stating, “I will continue to do my best for my club, the national team, and to elevate the status of Asian football,” following her transfer to England’s Brighton in July.
