Alkass Digital
Salem Al Dawsari’s phenomenal performance in the 2022 season received a fitting recognition when the prestigious accolade of the AFC Player of the Year 2022 was bestowed upon him on Tuesday at the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 in Qatari capital.
For the talismanic Saudi Arabian, who boasts of a season studded with moments such as scoring against Argentina and Mexico at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and equalling the legendary Sami Al Jaber’s record of three FIFA World Cup goals for the Green Falcons, this is just the beginning.
“This is an incredibly proud moment for not just myself but for my entire country. It is a great milestone in my career, but I am confident that this is not the last,” said the 32-year-old.
While his unforgettable winning strike against eventual champions Argentina on the grandest stage in the world immortalised his name in the history of Saudi Arabian football, Al Dawsari’s performance for Al Hilal SFC was just as impressive.
In the AFC Champions League 2022, he scored as many as four goals and notched three assists in eight matches for Al Hilal, helping them to a runners-up finish while at the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022, his historic two goals and one assist in a 3-2 Semi-final win over Brazil’s Flamengo helped the Blue Waves become the first ever Saudi Arabian side to reach the competition’s Final.
On the domestic front too, Dawsari remained instrumental, aiding Al Hilal to clinch their 2021/22 Saudi Pro League and 2022/23 King’s Cup triumphs, cementing his place as a national legend.
“When you are part of a team as iconic as Al Hilal SFC, you not only become used to the pressure and expectations, but you thrive on it. I welcome a good challenge as nothing makes me as happy as making my fans happy. Thus, this award is a gift from me to the thousands of fans who have believed in me,” he smiled.
Al Dawsari refuses to slow down and has already turned his attention towards the upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
“With this win, I am highly motivated and am promising my people that come January 2024, my teammates and I will give it our all at the AFC Asian Cup. We know that as footballers, the longevity of our careers is short, but I can assure everyone that I will fight with the same energy until the day I hang my boots up,” promised Al Dawsari.