Al Sadd forward Akram Afif has been named the AFC Player of the Year for the second time, following his outstanding performances that led Qatar to victory in the AFC Asian Cup on home soil in 2023. Afif, who previously won the award in 2019, scored a hat-trick in the final and netted eight times in total during the tournament. He becomes only the third player to win the trophy multiple times, joining Hidetoshi Nakata and Server Djeparov.
Kiko Seike of Japan was awarded the AFC Women’s Player of the Year for her contributions to Urawa Red Diamonds’ Asian Women’s Club Championship win and her role in the Japanese domestic league title. Both players expressed gratitude for the recognition, with Seike also announcing her move to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min and Australian Ellie Carpenter were named the AFC Men’s and Women’s International Players of the Year respectively for their impact on the global stage. Go Oiwa and Park Young-jeon were awarded Coach of the Year for their achievements with the Japan Under-23 team and South Korea’s Under-20s respectively.
The prestigious awards were presented at the AFC’s annual ceremony in Seoul, where players and coaches from across the continent were honored for their outstanding performances throughout the year. Afif and Seike’s victories highlight their excellence in the sport and their contributions to the success of their respective teams.
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