Salem Al Dawsari Wins AFC Player of the Year Award

Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al Dawsari was named the AFC Player of the Year at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025, recognising his outstanding performance in the 2024/25 season. The award highlights Al Dawsari’s contributions both domestically and internationally, cementing his status as one of Asia’s top football talents.

Japan’s Hana Takahashi won the AFC Women’s Player of the Year award at the same ceremony. Her achievements in women’s football have earned her recognition across the continent, celebrating her skill, consistency, and influence on the pitch throughout the season.

Al Dawsari had a stellar 2024/25 season, finishing as the top scorer in the AFC Champions League Elite and helping Al Hilal SFC reach the semi-finals. He also played a key role in the FIFA Club World Cup, guiding his team to the quarter-finals. Domestically, he became the all-time assist leader in the league while scoring 15 goals, demonstrating his offensive versatility.

This is Al Dawsari’s second AFC Player of the Year award, following his 2022 win. He is the first Saudi Arabian to win the award twice and the fourth player in AFC history to repeat the feat, joining Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata, Qatar’s Akram Afif, and Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov.

The AFC also honoured coaching excellence. DPR Korea’s Ri Song Ho was named AFC Coach of the Year (Men), while Marziyeh Jafari of Iran became the first-ever AFC Coach of the Year (Women). Their achievements reflect the growing standard of football coaching across Asia.

Iran’s Salar Aghapour won the AFC Futsal Player of the Year award, marking the seventh time an Iranian has received the accolade. Asian football’s highest individual recognition, the AFC Diamond of Asia, was awarded to Timothy Fok, Honorary President of The Football Association of Hong Kong, China Limited. DPR Korea Football Association received the AFC President’s Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The 29th edition of the AFC Awards at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh celebrated achievements across 18 additional categories, honouring players, coaches, and officials who have excelled in advancing football in Asia. The event reinforced the commitment to raising the profile and standard of football across the continent.