KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian football team coach Peter Cklamovski has sent his best wishes to star winger Arif Aiman Hanapi as the young sensation heads to the AFC Awards in Saudi Arabia on Thursday (Oct 16).
Arif, 23, has made history as the first Malaysian footballer to be shortlisted for the AFC Player of the Year award.
He faces tough competition from Asia’s elite—Qatar’s Akram Afif and Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al Dawsari - but Cklamovski believes his player has already made the nation proud.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed that the award will be his. He deserves it. We all support him, and I’m sure 34 million Malaysian supporters are proud of him," he said.
Arif’s nomination caps a remarkable 2024–25 season, in which he inspired Johor Darul Ta'zim to a domestic treble - the Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup—while also shining in the AFC Champions League Elite, scoring five goals to lead the Southern Tigers into the last 16.
On the international front, Arif continued to dazzle, playing a vital role in Malaysia’s ongoing 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign.
As he boards his flight to Saudi Arabia for the glittering ceremony, Arif carries not just his club’s pride but the hopes of an entire nation eager to see Malaysia’s name etched among Asia’s footballing greats.
