Saudi Arabian football icon Salem Al Dawsari stole the spotlight at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025 presented by NEOM, clinching the AFC Player of the Year 2025 honours respectively in a glittering ceremony at the King Fahad Cultural Center on Thursday night.
The prestigious awards gala — celebrating its 29th edition — honoured the finest achievements across 18 categories, marking a spectacular evening that highlighted the strength, resilience, and talent of Asian football’s elite.
For Al Dawsari, the recognition capped off an exceptional 2024/25 season, one that reaffirmed his status as one of Asia’s most consistent and inspirational performers. The Al Hilal SFC captain finished as top scorer of the AFC Champions League Elite™, steering his side to the semi-finals, while also impressing on the global stage at the FIFA Club World Cup, where Al Hilal reached the quarter-finals.
Domestically, the 34-year-old enjoyed another prolific campaign, becoming the all-time assist leader in the Saudi Pro League and netting 15 goals for his club — further cementing his legacy as a national treasure and a global ambassador for Saudi football.
The triumph marks Al Dawsari’s second AFC Player of the Year award, following his first in 2022. In doing so, he becomes the first Saudi Arabian player to win the award twice, and only the fourth in history to achieve the feat — joining an elite club alongside Japan’s Hidetoshi Nakata, Qatar’s Akram Afif, and Uzbekistan’s Server Djeparov.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported me in achieving this award,” Al Dawsari said in his acceptance speech. “This achievement is not the end of the road, but rather the beginning of greater ambitions. I will continue to work hard to raise my national flag high on the international stage.”
The evening in Riyadh also celebrated several other footballing milestones — including recognition for grassroots development, futsal excellence, and breakthrough performances across Asia — reflecting the Confederation’s ongoing mission to make football the continent’s most dynamic and inclusive sport.
Credit Photo : AFC
