BEIRUT: Saudi superstar Salem Al-Dawsari on Tuesday became the sixth player from the Kingdom, and the fifth from Al-Hilal, to be crowned Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year.
Earlier in the evening, Australia and Chelsea forward Sam Kerr took the women’s title. They were honored during the glitzy 2023 AFC Annual Awards ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.
“I am very happy with this achievement and I would like to thank the leadership in Saudi Arabia for their keen interest in athletes and support for sport,” 32-year-old Al-Dawsari said, according to a report on the AFC website.
“I also want to thank the Saudi Football Federation, Al-Hilal, the Saudi national team, as well as the fans. Of course, I am grateful to my parents and wife, who is my No. 1 supporter.”
The winger, who made his first appearance for Al-Hilal in 2011, is the 25th recipient of the AFC Player of the Year award since its inception in 1994. The six Saudi winners of the award during that time, and the five from Al-Hilal, are records for any single country and club respectively.
Al-Dawsari joined Al-Hilal as a youth player and rose through the ranks to become an important member not only of the Riyadh side, but also of the Saudi national team, after making his debut for the Green Falcons in 2012.
Regarded as one of the finest footballers in Asia, he lit up the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when he scored the winner in his country’s sensational 2-1 victory over Argentina in their opening match. Al-Dawsari’s astonishing goal in the 53rd minute will live long in the memories of the fans.
He scored again in the third group match in Qatar, a 2-1 defeat by Mexico. In doing so, having previously scored against Egypt during the 2018 World Cup, he equaled the record for the total number of goals by a Saudi player at World Cup finals, three, which was set by the legendary Sami Al-Jaber in 2006.
Meanwhile, he also continues to shine as brightly as ever for Al-Hilal across all major competitions. On the domestic front, he played a pivotal role in their 2021/22 Saudi Pro League and 2022/23 King’s Cup triumphs. And his haul of four goals and three assists in eight matches helped inspire Al-Hilal to a record fifth appearance at an AFC Champions League final, when they finished runners-up in 2022.
Salem Al-Dawsari is 6th Saudi footballer to be named AFC Player of the Year
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Salem Al-Dawsari is 6th Saudi footballer to be named AFC Player of the Year
- 32-year-old Al-Hilal star honored during the Asian Football Confederation’s glitzy Annual Awards ceremony in Doha on Tuesday
- ‘I am very happy with this achievement, and I would like to thank the leadership in Saudi Arabia for their keen interest in athletes and support for sport,’ the winger said
Saudi league will join world’s top 3, FIFA chief tells Asharq Al-Awsat
- Gianni Infantino says domestic competition boasts global flavor with some of the world’s leading players
- Women’s football in the Kingdom also poised for further growth
DOHA: Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football, said that Saudi Arabia has become a major hub on the global football stage.
He praised the dynamic developments in recent years, which have led to a significant international presence and a domestic league with a global flavor, featuring some of the world’s top football stars, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo.
The league is on track to become one of the top three in the world, he added.
In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, the FIFA president said that the Saudi national team, following its stunning upset against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, is still capable of repeating such feats, potentially against Spain in the 2026 World Cup.
He said that Saudi football has made remarkable progress, not only at the senior national team level but also across youth categories. He also pointed out that women’s football in the Kingdom is poised for further growth, thanks to the increasing attention it has received from football authorities in recent years.
Infantino also expressed personal happiness about Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 World Cup, describing the Kingdom as a welcoming country with a rich culture, delicious cuisine, and a remarkable people — all of which, he said, will contribute to the success of the major football event.
