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
Saudis need extra time to end Palestine’s dream Arab Cup run and claim semi-final spot
- The Green Falcons dominated the first half but the breakthrough came early in the second when Salem Al-Dawsari drew a foul in the box and Feras Al-Buraikan converted the penalty
- Palestine responded immediately to level the score, but with just 5 minutes of extra time remaining Mohammed Kanno sealed the victory for Saudi Arabia
DOHA: Saudi Arabia halted Palestine’s impressive Arab Cup run at the quarter-final stage with a hard-fought, 2-1, extra-time victory in a tense match on Thursday.
Herve Renard’s side dominated for long spells during the first half in Al-Rayyan, Qatar, as they probed patiently against a disciplined Palestinian defense that had kept two clean sheets in their three matches during the group stage.
The closest the Green Falcons came before the break was late in the opening period when a deep cross created space for Feras Al-Buraikan, only for Hamed Hamdan to make a crucial, last-ditch clearance.
Saudi Arabia eventually broke through early in the second half through their talisman, Salem Al-Dawsari, whose sharp first touch drew a foul from Mohammed Saleh inside the area. Al-Buraikan converted the resultant penalty with confidence to give the Saudis a deserved lead.
Palestine responded immediately, however; Oday Dabbagh controlled a cross from Hassan Altambakti with a superb first touch before finishing clinically to level the match and reignite hopes of a historic semi-final berth.
Saudi Arabia thought they had a chance to retake the lead late on when they were awarded another penalty, but the video assistant referee overturned the decision. And so, with the teams locked at 1-1, the match moved into extra time.
With five minutes remaining, and a penalty shoot-out looming, Mohammed Kanno delivered the decisive blow as he rose to head home a pinpoint cross from Al-Dawsari, sending the Green Falcons into the last four and bringing an admirable Palestinian campaign to an end.
