The Qatari football player was the top scorer at the AFC Asian Cup 2023, with eight goals from seven matches.

Qatar’s Al Sadd star Akram Afif is dubbed the favourite to win the Best Player accolade at the Qatar Football Association (QFA) Awards, which will be hosted at the Qatar National Convention Center this May 26th. 

The footballer was nominated for the top award along with Al Gharafa captain Yacine Brahimi and Al Rayyan forward Roger Guedes by the Board of Trustees of the QFA awards. 

A dominant year of football accomplishments, Afif was in top form in the Expo Stars League (ESL), finishing as the top scorer with 26 goals and 11 assists. 

He is currently playing a vital role in Al Sadd’s title triumph in the Amir Cup final. 

Earlier this year,  Afif was awarded the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Golden Boot after scoring eight goals in seven matches for his national team at the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

The striker netted a hat-trick of penalties in the final leading Qatar to a 3-1 win over Jordan and allowing the Maroons to retain the title they won in 2019, becoming one of only five teams to have managed such a feat. 

Afif joined the likes of legendary Ali Daei, Tim Cahill, and Lee Dong-gook in the list of footballers who have laid claim to the honour of being the Golden Boot winner in the past.

Meanwhile, Brahimi helped Al Gharafa finish third in ESL, becoming the second top scorer with a tally of 22 goals and nine assists. 

While, Brazil’s Guedes scored 19 goals and five assists this year. 

League winner Wesam Rizk has been named among the nominees for the Best Coach Award, along with Al Rayyan’s Leonardo Jardim and Al Gharafa’s Pedro Martins. 

Rizk led Al Sadd in 15 ESL games after taking over from Bruno Miguel, who had coached the Wolves for seven matches at the start of the season.

The Best Under-23 Player Award contest is among Al Sadd’s Mostafa Meshal, Al Arabi’s Jassim Jaber, and Al Shamal player Mahdi Salem as the trio was shortlisted for the honor.