Qatari striker Akram Afif has entered the final list of three players for the continent's best player of the year award after leading his country to its first Asian Cup title, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said Friday.
The 22-year-old, who has been loaned from Villarreal to Qatar's Al Sadd, has been instrumental in leading his team to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League this season. The best Asian player according to his achievements.
Iran goalkeeper Alireza Biranund and Japanese defender Tomoaki Makino joined the list on December 2 in Hong Kong.
"Afif is perhaps one of the most prominent talent to emerge at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE when he made 10 goals, the most in history," the AFC said in a statement.
Makino led Japan to their fifth AFC Asian Cup final and kept Urawa Red Diamonds clean in six games on their way to the Champions League final against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.
Urawa coach Tsuyoshi Otsuki, Kashima Antlers' Joe Uiwa and South Korea's under-20 coach Chung Jung-young are vying for this year's best coach.