While Kim lead Ulsan Hyundai to the 2012 AFC Champions League title, compatriot Choi came agonisingly close to adding his name to the list of coaches who have won Asia’s premier club competition only to see FC Seoul lose out to Guangzhou Evergrande on away goals after one of the most entertaining ACL finals in the history of the tournament.

“Actually I did not expect to win this award the time but it’s very good for me and Korean football that I won this one,” said Choi, who received the award from Kohzo Tashima, AFC Executive Committee Member and Chairman of the AFC Technical Committee.

“I believe that it’s not an individual honour to me rather the credit goes to the team and all the staff who helped us reach final of this year’s ACL.”

A 1-0 away defeat to Japan’s Vegalta Sendai was FC Seoul’s only defeat in the group phase of the 2013 AFC Champions League, with Choi’s charges enjoying an impressive 5-1 over Jiangsu Sainty, the first of three Chinese clubs the Koreans would encounter on route to their runners-up finish.

The second team from China FC Seoul faced was in the Round of 16 was Beijing Guoan and after recording a creditable goalless draw in the Chinese capital Choi’s charges enjoyed a 3-1 home win to set up a quarter-final clash with 2012 ACL runners-up Al Ahli, which ended with a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Koreans.

Standing in the way of FC Seoul becoming the fifth K-League side to contest Asian club football’s top honours were Iranian giants Esteghlal and after taking control of the semi-final with a 2-0 win in Seoul, Choi’s side showed their strength of character with an assured performance in Tehran, emerging from the intimidating arena of the Azadi Stadium with a 2-2 draw and a place in the ACL final.

"This award is a momentous moment for Iraqi youth football,” said Iraq FA official Waleed Tabra (pictured), who received the trophy on behalf of Ali Adnan Khadim from Dr. Hafez Al Medlej, AFC Executive Committee Member and Chairman of the AFC Marketing Committee.

“This is the second time an Iraqi has won this award after Mohanad Abdulraheem Karrar won award last year.

“It is something amazing and I believe also that the Iraqi youth team that played in the most recent competition was the best so far.

“I’m sure this award will be a source of pride for the national youth team and all of Iraq”

Kadhim scored the stoppage-time equaliser as Iraq opened their campaign in Turkey by coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with England and was also on target as the Iraqis came agonising close to a place in the final, with Uruguay needing a leveller three minutes from time to send the semi-final into extra-time and then penalties.

The hugely talented 19-year-old also displayed his composure and set-piece ability by successfully converting in the shootout defeat against the South Americans and as Iraq triumphed over Korea Republic 5-4 on penalties to book their place in the semis and gain revenge for the shootout defeat at the hands of the East Asians in the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship final.

The son of Adnan Kadhim, who helped Iraq win the AFC Youth Championship in 1977, and the nephew of one-time Iraq international goal-scoring record holder Ali Kadhim has football percolating through his DNA and is already a feature in the senior Iraq national team, playing four AFC Asian Cup 2015 qualifiers and three 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers during the year.

The Gangil High School student, who is already a World Cup winner having been part of the Korea Republic side that won the 2010 FIFA U-17 World Cup title, bagged her first goal of the 2013 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Korea’s 2-2 draw with hosts China before hitting an incredible five of the eventual champions’ seven in their emphatic win over Myanmar.

The Korea Republic skipper was unable to add to her tally in the following 2-0 victory over Japan but rediscovered her scoring touch in the next two matches, finding the net in the 2-1 wins over neighbours DPR Korea and Australia to take her individual tally to a tournament-leading eight in five matches.

A series of stellar showings in Serie A as well as his eye-catching performances for Japan at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers earned the talented 27-year-old the prestigious accolade ahead of Samurai Blue team-mate and CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda and Korea Republic international Son Heung-min, who plies his trade in the German Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.

Japan Football Association President Kuniya Daini received the award on behalf of Nagatomo from AFC Vice President Ganesh Thapa (pictured).

Muriqui’s superb contribution to Guangzhou Evergrande’s AFC Champions League triumph, in which he scored 13 times in addition to claiming the Abdullah Al Dabal award for the tournament’s best player,  saw the livewire 27-year-old  become the second Brazilian to win the AFC Foreign Player of the Year. Following inaugural winner Rogerinho (Rogério de Assis Silva Coutinho).

“I am so happy to have won this award but this was the result of teamwork rather than individual efforts. I’m also so happy with our performance in the ACL this year,” said Muriqui after receiving his trophy from AFC Executive Committee Member Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat.

As for our coach Marcello Lippi, he’s a great coach. He has helped the club and the Chinese players do well in our games. If people think he’s good to coach the national team and if he wants to do so, I’m sure he’ll be up to the job,” continued the Brazilian, who turned his attention to the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, where Guangzhou will be aiming for domestic, continental and world treble.

“I’m sure me and my teammates can keep scoring in the FIFA Club World Cup. I have scored more than 10 goals in the ACL and hopefully I will repeat this performance.”