Bangkok: A trophy presented as far back as 1994 to football greats such as Saudi Arabia’s Saeed Owairan, Ali Daei of Islamic Republic of Iran and Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata, the AFC Player of the Year trophy is coveted by Asian footballers to join the ranks and make their mark in football history.
Bestowed to Asia’s finest footballing talent, the AFC Player of the Year Awards trophy is an abiding symbol of the most prestigious night in the Asian football calendar. And what a trophy it is.
The design of the AFC Player of the Year Award trophy showcases an open-aired globe centrepiece, symbolising the spirit of the AFC and the world’s passion for football.
The glittering open skeleton frame is a representation of earth, and the focal point of the trophy is its 'golden sculpture' ensconced within. This dynamic golden form is the figure of the modern player which has become a world famous icon in football.
The AFC Annual Awards trophy is 50cm high and 15cm wide and it is made of crafted sterling silver, featuring an anodised central pillar in the distinctive AFC blue. The AFC logo sits etched on a diamond-engraved golden brushed band on the upper body, encompassed by a host of crown-inspired silver gilt struts lending integrity and strength to the trophy design.
Last year, UAE and Al Ain midfielder Omar Abdulrahman was awarded the AFC Player of the Year award for his pivotal role in guiding Al Ain to the 2016 AFC Champions League final, in which he was voted the Toyota Most Valuable Player of the Competition.
And Australia international Caitlin Foord was named the 2016 AFC Women’s Player of the Year for her consistent performance during Australia’s Olympic Games campaign in Brazil. She also holds the record as the youngest ever Australian to play for the Matildas when she memorably appeared at the 2011 FIFA World Cup in Germany aged just 16.
This year’s list of nominees have accomplished remarkable feats for club and country, and are definitely worthy of being named the AFC Player of the Year.
An integral part of Shanghai SIPG’s lethal frontline, Wu Lei enjoyed another stellar year as the Chinese Super League outfit came within a game of advancing to a maiden AFC Champions League final.
After securing their place in a second successive quarter-final on the continent, Wu Lei scored twice in a stunning 4-0 first leg victory over domestic rivals Guangzhou Evergrande and then from the spot in the penalty shootout win in the second leg as Shanghai progressed in dramatic fashion.
With Italian coach Marcello Lippi now at the helm of an ever-improving China PR, Wu Lei netted the winner against Qatar in the East Asians’ final FIFA World Cup qualifier, while his 20 goals in 28 Chinese Super League games saw the forward finish as the top-scoring domestic player.
Syria international striker Omar Khrbin has taken more than his fair share of headlines in 2017 as the Al Hilal frontman helped fire the Riyadh side to the AFC Champions League final and his country to an FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Intercontinental Play-off match with Australia.
The highlight of the forward’s year came when he netted a hat-trick in the 4-0 AFC Champions League semi-final first leg win over the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis and he then bagged a brace in the reverse fixture to steer Al Hilal to a second final in four years.
Ten goals meant the striker finished as the tournament’s top scorer, while a further three in Syria’s third round of World Cup qualifiers saw his country come close to progressing to football’s biggest spectacle.
It’s no surprise to see the 2016 AFC Champions League Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman among the contenders again this time after the frizzy-haired playmaker continued to dazzle on the continent.
Four goals in the AFC Champions League group stage saw Abdulrahman head into the knockout rounds as one of the competition’s top scorers, before a brace in the 6-1 victory in the second leg of the Round of 16 against Iran’s Estaghlal helped Al Ain comprehensively advance to the last eight.
As ever, Abdulrahman was among the leading assist makers as the midfielder made six of his side’s goals while, despite elimination in the quarter-finals, he finished the tournament having created more chances than any other player.
An outstanding year for the Matildas has seen Australia striker Samantha Kerr deservedly nominated for the biggest individual accolade in Asia as her goals have hit the headlines in the women’s game.
A hat-trick against Japan in the inaugural Tournament of Nations and another strike in a stunning 6-1 victory over Brazil helped Australia win the competition ahead of the East Asians, the South Americans and hosts the United States with a perfect three wins from three.
Kerr scored the most goals ever scored in a single season of the National Women’s Soccer League for Sky Blue FC in the United States, was twice named Player of the Month and finished the campaign as the Most Valuable Player in what was a hugely impressive year.
France-based Saki Kumagai enjoyed another fabulous year with Olimpique Lyonnais as the French giants completed back-to-back trebles of Division 1 Feminine, the Coupe de France and the UEFA Women's Champions League in what is nothing short of complete domination.
Kumagai netted from the spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final win over Manchester City and then scored in the penalty shootout victory over domestic rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the final as the French outfit secured a record-equaling fourth title.
Twenty-one wins from 22 games saw Lyonnais storm to the league title having conceded just six goals with Kumagai in defence, and the 27-year-old will undoubtedly be a key member of Japan’s Nadeshiko heading into next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan.
One of the main highlights of Sung Hyang Sim’s year came at the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Nanjing, China, as the seventeen-year-old helped steer DPR Korea to a second successive runners-up spot.
Sung scored four times in a 9-0 victory over Thailand as her nation topped the group ahead of the hosts, Uzbekistan and the Thais, before she added two more in the 3-0 semi-final win over Australia.
DPR Korea ultimately lost to Japan in the final but Sung finished the tournament as top scorer and MVP, while the forward also scored in her debut for the national team when she came on as a substitute against East Asian rivals China.
AFC Player of the Year Previous winners:
1994 Saeed Owairan (Saudi Arabia)
1995 Masami Ihara (Japan)
1996 Khodadad Azizi (IR Iran)
1997 Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
1998 Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
1999 Ali Daei (IR Iran)
2000 Nawaf Al Temyat (Saudi Arabia)
2001 Fan Zhiyi (China PR)
2002 Shinji Ono (Japan)
2003 Mehdi Mahdavikia (IR Iran)
2004 Ali Karimi (IR Iran)
2005 Hamad Al Montashari (Saudi Arabia)
2006 Khalfan Ibrahim (Qatar)
2007 Yasser Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia)
2008 Server Djeparov (Uzbekistan)
2009 Yasuhito Endo (Japan)
2010 Sasa Ognenovski (Australia)
2011 Server Djeparov (Uzbekistan)
2012 Lee Keun-Ho (Korea Republic)
2013 Zheng Zhi (China PR)
2014 Nassir Al Shamrani (Saudi Arabia)
2015 Ahmed Khalil (United Arab Emirates)
2016 Omar Abdulrahman (United Arab Emirates)
AFC Women’s Player of the Year Previous winners:
2003 Bai Jie (China PR)
2004 Homare Sawa (Japan)
2005 Natsuko Hara (Japan)
2006 Ma Xiaoxu (China PR)
2007 Ri Kum Suk (DPR Korea)
2008 Homare Sawa (Japan)
2010 Kate Gill (Australia)
2011 Aya Miyama (Japan)
2012 Aya Miyama (Japan)
2014 Katrina Lee Gorry (Australia)
2015 Aya Miyama (Japan)
2016 Caitlin Foord (Australia)
Photos: AFC & Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com