Al Sadd star Akram Afif has been named the Best Asian Footballer of 2024 after winning the 12th edition of the Best Asian Footballer Award, organized annually by the renowned Chinese magazine Titan Sports. The award is determined through a poll involving a panel of experts, former stars, and journalists specializing in Asian football.
Afif secured 181 points, beating South Korean Son Heung-min, who finished second with 168 points, while Moroccan Soufiane Rahimi, Al Ain’s standout player, came third with 115 points. Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo finished fourth with 109 points.
The Titan Sports award is given to any player representing an Asian country or playing for an Asian club, regardless of nationality.
With this triumph, Akram Afif becomes the first-ever winner from West Asia, breaking the dominance of South Korean (9 wins) and Japanese (2 wins) players over the past 11 editions of the award.
Son Heung-min had previously dominated the award, winning seven consecutive times from 2017 to 2023. This year’s winner was selected from a 25-player shortlist, based on performances between January 1 and August 15, 2024.
Akram Afif’s victory comes after a spectacular season with Al Sadd and the Qatar national team.
With Al Sadd, he played a key role in securing the 2023-24 Qatar Stars League title, the club’s 17th league championship, as well as lifting the Amir Cup for the 19th time.
On the international stage, Afif helped Qatar win the AFC Asian Cup 2023, securing back-to-back titles after their historic first triumph in 2019.
Following the award ceremony, Akram Afif expressed his delight at winning the prestigious accolade.
“I am very happy to win this award, and even happier to be the first-ever player from West Asia to receive such a significant honor in Asian football,” he told Al Sadd’s official website.
“I thank Titan Sports for this recognition and everyone who voted for me. Winning this award—both from Titan Sports and previously from the AFC—is not the end goal. My focus now is to continue improving, to help Al Sadd and the Qatar national team achieve more victories and titles in the coming years.”
