Al Sadd's influential defender Abdulkarim Hassan was awarded the prestigious title of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Player of the Year at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday. He beat Kashima Antlers’ Yuma Suzuki and Kento Misao to gain this top award.

Hassan, one of Qatar teams' key players, received the glittering trophy from AFC President Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, and has become the second Qatari after Khalfan Ibrahim was named AFC Asian Player of the Year in 2006

"I am very happy to receive this award. It is an honour not just for me but my club and country," the 25-year-old Hassan said after receiving the trophy.

The Al Sadd left-back played a key role in his club's advance to the 2018 AFC Champions League semi-finals and runners-up finish in the 2017-18 Qatar Stars League season.

He remains a key player n the Qatar national side and the winning the award will help boost his morale ahead of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.

The Doha native graduated from the Aspire Academy and was just 17-years-old when he first played in the 2011 AFC Champions League, coming off the bench against Esteghlal. Al Sadd went on to win the AFC Champions League title that year.

Hassan continued to progress and was named the Young Player of the Year in the 2012–13 Qatar Stars League. (Source)

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Nabeela

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