Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Japan Football Association was awarded the AFC Member Association of the Year 2018 - Inspiring at the 2018 AFC Annual Awards in Muscat on Wednesday after a phenomenal year which saw its teams and programmes shining on virtually every stage.
Japan were the only Asian side to advance to the Round of 16 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia while the senior women's defended the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup Jordan in April and won the 2018 Asian Games Indonesia gold.
At the age-group level, Japan won the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup while the men emerged champions in the AFC U-16 Championship Malaysia 2018 and were semi-finalists in the AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/japan-u16-celebrate.html
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www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/futoshi_ikeda.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: After another year of remarkable progress for Asian football, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) celebrated the Continent’s most exceptional achievements in a dazzling 2018 AFC Annual Awards ceremony in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday.
Al Sadd’s Abdelkarim Hassan claimed the coveted AFC Player of the Year Award while China PR’s Wang Shuang clinched the top accolade in the women’s category.
Wang, who joined her illustrious China PR compatriots Ma Xiaoxu and Bai Jie in winning the award, said: “I would like to thank the AFC for this remarkable award. It really means a lot to win this. I want to thank my country, the Chinese Football Association and my national teammates for putting their faith in me and always encouraging me to dream big.”
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Zhang Jilong of China PR is the recipient of the AFC Diamond of Asia Award 2018 for his faithful servitude of more than 25 years to Asian football.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa recently presented the award to Zhang Jilong in Beijing.
The AFC’s top accolade is the perfect recognition to a man who brought calm and peace to the Confederation at a critical point in its history and is true recognition of his service to football.
Through his tireless devotion, Zhang Jilong has been instrumental in raising the standards of football in the Continent.
Born on February 9, 1952 in Yantai City in Shandong province, Zhang has dedicated more than four decades of outstanding service to sport and football.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Islamic Republic of Iran's Alireza Faghani received the AFC Referees Special Award 2018 at the 2018 AFC Annual Awards in Muscat on Wednesday.
Faghani has taken charge of a number of high-profile games in Asia and is up there among the best in the world.
The 2018 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Russia was Faghani’s second stint at the global stage.
The Iranian was tasked with refereeing the 2018 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff between Belgium and England at the Saint Petersburg.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Qatar's Abdelkarim Hassan clinched the 2018 AFC Player of the Year award at the 2018 AFC Annual Awards in Muscat on Wednesday.
"I am very glad and proud to achieve this award. Every player in the Asia dreams of winning such an award and this is a great testament to Qatar football. It is a great honour to be the second Qatari to win this award. Of course, I have to thank my teammates and I thank everyone who supported me in my career.
"I would like to dedicate this award to the Qatar FA President, and the Qatari people. Personally I did not expect to win, but this is a great source of pride for me and I am very thankful. I am still just 25-years-old, I have a long way to go, and I hope to build on this success. The three nominees did a great job this year," said Hassan.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Wang Shuang became the fourth player from China PR to win the coveted AFC Women’s Player of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards 2018 in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday.
Wang Shuang, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the Division 1 Féminine, claimed the award for the first time, following an impressive year at both club and international level.
"It is a total honour for me to receive this precious award. I would like to thank the AFC. It has come as a surprise, but this award is inspiration for me to do well next year at the FIFA World Cup in France. I want to thank all my teammates - both from my club and country.
"Of course, this has been a year of great results. To secure a move to PSG, to score in the UEFA Champions League and now to win this great award. But also, this year we played in the Asian Games and personally I do feel some regret that we were not able to do better," said Wang Shuang.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Former Japan national team captain Makoto Hasebe was named the 2018 AFC Asian International Player of the Year at the 2018 AFC Annual Awards in Muscat on Wednesday after a sterling season for country and his German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.
Hasebe skippered Japan in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia where the Blue Samurai were the only Asian team to advance to the knockout stage before suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16.
It was his third FIFA World Cup as Japan captain, having also skippered the side who emerged champions in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
Masebe, 34, announced his retirement from international football after the FIFA World Cup, having made 114 appearances for Japan.