PETALING JAYA: Malaysian winger Arif Aiman Hanapi fell just short of claiming the Player of the Year title at the 2025 AFC Awards, which went to Saudi Arabian star Salem Al Dawsari in Riyadh on Thursday.
The Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player was among the top three finalists alongside Qatar’s Akram Afif.
Al Dawsari, who plays for Al-Hilal, was the top scorer in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) and helped his team reach the semi-finals.
He also impressed at the FIFA Club World Cup, guiding his side to the quarter-finals.
Domestically, the 34-year-old became the league’s all-time assist leader and scored 15 goals this season.
This marked Al Dawsari’s second time winning the award, having first claimed it in 2022.
Although Arif missed out on the top honour, his nomination was still a proud moment as he became the first Malaysian player to be shortlisted for the prestigious award.
Last season, the 23-year-old Arif scored five goals to help JDT advance to the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite competition.
He also guided the Southern Tigers to a clean sweep of all four trophies in the Malaysia League (M-League) for three consecutive seasons, besides being a key component in the Harimau Malaya squad in the ongoing Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) earned silver in the AFC President’s Recognition Award for Grassroots Football, finishing behind the United Arab Emirates Football Association, while Bangladesh took home the bronze.
