DOHA (Qatar): 2019 AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif said that he is targeting more success after receiving the Asia’s best player award here on Tuesday.
The Al Sadd left-winger started the year by playing an integral part in Qatar’s AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 triumph, as his one goal and 10 assists helped power Felix Sanchez’s squad to Asian glory with Afif’s partnership with Almoez Ali a major highlight.
The 23-year-old carried that form into the Qatar Stars League, scoring 26 goals and making 15 assists, as Sadd won the title for 14th time.
The Super Cup was also added to the Al Sadd trophy cabinet.
The Qatari side reached the 2019 AFC Champions League semifinals, and Afif’s consistency made him a deserving winner of the AFC Player of the Year.
“I’m happy with what I have achieved in 2019, whether with Qatar, Al Sadd or individually,” Afif told the-AFC.com in an exclusive interview after receiving the 2019 AFC Player of the Year award from AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
Support from coaches, team-mates
The supremely talented player said the AFC Player of the Year award was won with the support of his team-mates.
“This award goes to my parents. I want to thank everyone who supported me,” said Afif. “I won the award with the help of the officials, managers and team-mates at Sadd, Qatar team and Aspire Academy.
“The coaches who trained me at Al Sadd helped me win this award – whether it was (current head coach) Xavi or Jesualdo Ferreira (former head coach),” he said. “Also, the head coach of the national team Felix Sanchez who is like a father to me as we have been working together for 15 years.”
Afif became the third Qatari player to win the AFC Player of the Year award after Khalfan Ibrahim in 2006 while Sadd team-mate Abdelkarim Hassan won the award last year.
“It’s a great honour for Qatari players to win the Best Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year,” added Afif. “As Qatari players, we always give our best on the pitch. This is reflected with the great success we have had at the continental stage.”
