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Salem Al Dawsari, the captain of the Saudi Arabian national team, has been named Asia’s Player of the Year for the second time, while Japan’s Hana Takahashi received the women’s award at a ceremony held in Riyadh.
The 34-year-old winger Al Dawsari topped the scoring chart in last season’s AFC Champions League with 10 goals, contributing to Al Hilal’s progress to the semi-finals of Asia’s premier club tournament.
Al Dawsari, who also won this award in 2022, said, “This achievement represents not the conclusion of the journey but the start of even greater aspirations.”
Under Al Dawsari’s leadership, Saudi Arabia booked their qualification for next year’s World Cup in North America this week.
Urawa Reds defender Takahashi, 25, has been instrumental for both her club and national team in recent months.
“It is tremendously encouraging to have my efforts from last season recognised,” said the goal-scoring defender, who helped Urawa win a domestic cup in Japan.
During the Thursday ceremony, Choe Il Son from North Korea was awarded the women’s youth player of the year after her contributions to her country winning the U17 and U20 Women’s World Cups.
Australia’s Alex Badolato, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder, was recognised as the men’s youth player of the year.
