كما انفردت «عكاظ»: للمرة الثانية.. تاج آسيا لا يليق إلا بـ«سالم»

The captain of the Saudi national team and Al Hilal club, Salem Al-Dosari, was crowned the best player in Asia for the year 2025 after competing with Qatari player Akram Afif and Malaysian player Araf Ayman. The president of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, presented Salem Al-Dosari with the award for the best player from the Asian continent at the confederation's awards ceremony in the capital, Riyadh.
In July and October, "Okaz" exclusively reported on the nomination and the close chance of captain Salem Al-Dosari winning the Asian Player of the Year award for 2025 in its editions. This marks Al-Dosari's second time winning the Asian Player of the Year award, having previously won it in 2022.
For his part, the captain of the Green team, Salem Al-Dosari, confirmed that he is at the peak of his happiness with this achievement of receiving the award for the best player from Asia for the second time, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, adding: “I thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Crown Prince, Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the architect of Vision 2030, for their support of sports and athletes. I thank God for winning the award for the best player in Asia for the year 2025, in recognition of the attention and support of the wise leadership. I also want to thank the Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi Football Federation headed by Mohammed Al-Mashel, Al Hilal Club headed by Prince Nawaf bin Saad, and all the staff including players and fans, the Saudi national team players, and the sports audience in general, as well as my parents, my teachers in life, my dear wife, and my sons and daughters.”
Al-Dosari received the Asian Player of the Year award for the second time due to his achievement of being the top scorer in the AFC Champions League 2024/2025 with a total of 10 goals, winning the best local player award in the Roshan Saudi Professional League last season, receiving the best player award in the match between Al Hilal and Pachuca from Mexico in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, and his continuous participation and winning the best player with the Saudi national team in several matches in the Asian qualifiers, including the Asian playoff, and contributing to the Green team's qualification for the 2026 World Cup.