Khalil bags Asian player of the year award
AFP
AFP, GURGAON (INDIA): UAE sharpshooter Ahmed Khalil stunned compatriot Omar Abdulrahman and Chinas Zheng Zhi on Sunday as he was named Asian player of the year at a glittering ceremony in India.
The 24-year-old former youth player of the year could hardly believe his good fortune when his name emerged from the envelope at the Bollywood-themed show in Gurgaon, near New Delhi.
Much of the smart money had been on 2013 winner Zheng, after he led Guangzhou Evergrande to their second AFC Champions League title in three years against Khalils Al Ahli last week.
But instead it was Khalil who accepted the trophy from Asian football boss and FIFA presidential hopeful Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in front of hundreds of delegates.
My feeling is something I cannot explain... this award means a lot to me. This achievement is not for Ahmed, its for all the people in the Emirates, Khalil told reporters.
Khalils award is richly deserved after his goals fired UAE to third place at the Asian Cup in January and also took Al Ahli to the brink of the AFC Champions League title.
He has also scored 10 times in the UAEs 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, raising hopes of a second appearance at the tournament after Italy 1990.
Khalils victory comes just a week after emotional scenes when he was substituted due to fatigue during Al Ahlis decisive 1-0 defeat to Evergrande in the second leg of the Champions League final.
He said he would stay loyal to UAE outfit Al Ahli in the immediate future, despite a burning ambition to make the lucrative and prestigious move to Europe.
Khalils success denies Evergrande and China captain Zheng his second Asian player of the year award, and also means disappointment for Abdulrahman, known as Amoory.
The mop-topped playmaker dazzled with his performances at the Asian Cup but Khalils performances in the AFC Champions League helped tip the balance in his favour.
