President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
The 32-year-old collected the night’s biggest prize at the glitzy ceremony, held at the Al Mayassa Theatre of the Qatar National Convention Centre, shortly after Australian icon Sam Kerr had won the women’s equivalent of the award.
“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. I also want to thank the Saudi Football Federation, Al Hilal, Saudi national team as well as the fans. Of course, I am grateful to my parents and wife, who is my number one supporter.”
He became the 25th different winner since the award’s inception in 1994 as well as both the sixth Saudi player and fifth from Al Hilal to do so – a record from any country and club respectively.
