PETALING JAYA: Any young local professional footballer would want to be in Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) hotshot Arif Aiman Hanapi’s shoes.
The 22-year-old wing wizard is just a step away from making double history – individually and with his team.
Arif is the hot favourite to land an unprecedented fourth straight most valuable player (MVP) award.
He is now tied with a former JDT player, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, with three straight wins.
Arif is also a win away from helping the Southern Tigers become the first side to accomplish the quadruple for three straight seasons, with the Malaysia Cup left to conquer in a final against Pahang on April 26.
All these astonishing stats seem a bit surreal for Aiman, but he is not letting it get to his head as he focuses on his final mission of the season – lifting the country’s most prestigious trophy.
And with the Malaysian Football Awards set to be announced tomorrow, Arif has added motivation to see his goal through.
“Our mindset at JDT is to compete fiercely for every title and strive for continuous growth each year,” said Arif.
“I’m eager to conclude the season with another trophy.”
Apart from the MVP award, Arif has also been nominated for the best midfielder accolade — a testament to his dazzling displays throughout this season.
Having scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in 31 matches in domestic competitions, he has also made his mark in the AFC Champions League Elite where he netted five goals with two assists.
Reflecting on his award nominations, he is grateful for the recognition but said that winning for best midfielder will be hard to do.
‘’I’m up against talented players like Stuart Wilkin and Safawi Rasid, so it will be a tough contest,’’ added Arif.
“Regardless of the outcome, any award I receive is a bonus, but I certainly hope to capture the MVP award for a fourth straight time.
‘‘It will serve as a great source of motivation.”
Arif is no stranger to accolades at the Malaysian Football Awards.
He has won the MVP title in 2021, 2022 and 2023, along with the Best Striker gong.
He was also named Best Young Player in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
