Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari has been named the Asian Football Confederation’s Player of the Year with Chelsea and Australia forward Sam Kerr taking the women’s title at the regional body’s awards ceremony in Doha on Tuesday (Oct 31).
Al-Dawsari, who scored Saudi Arabia’s winner in their shock 2-1 victory over Argentina at the World Cup last year, took the men’s award after also leading Al-Hilal to the final of the Asian Champions League and the Club World Cup.
The awards were being held for the first time in four years as a result of the disruption caused to the game across the continent by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“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,” said Al-Dawsari, who won ahead of Qatar’s Almoez Ali and Mathew Leckie of Australia.
Kerr, who on Monday had finished as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or vote in Paris, won her award for the second time having previously been named the confederation’s best female player in 2017.