ABU DHABI: United Arab Emirates playmaker Omar Abdulrahman’s disappointment at failing to win the Asian Champions League with Al Ain last weekend was tempered when he was crowned AFC player of the year in a glittering ceremony in his home country on Thursday night.

Abdulrahman’s club were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by South Korea’s Jeonbuk Motors with the midfielder nonetheless named the tournament’s most valuable player.

The 25-year-old went one better in the Emirates Palace Hotel on Thursday when he became the second Emirati to win the trophy in consecutive years ahead of Iraq and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya striker Hammadi Ahmed and China and Shanghai SIPG forward Wu Lei.

“It is a great achievement to have been given this honour,” the UAE international told reporters. “Despite this I did not win the AFC Champions League title so this is what I am hoping to achieve next year. My aim is to also win the AFC Player of the Year for another time.”

Abdulrahman, known as Amoory by the club’s fans, was on the short list for the award last year but was pipped by compatriot Ahmed Khalil.

“This achievement is a national achievement,” Abdulrahman said. “The trophy is not only for me but it’s for all my colleagues at Al Ain and the national team. It is the second year in a row that the award goes to a player from the UAE, it’s proof that we have talented players.”

Apart from his club performances, the left-sided midfielder and winger has also inspired the UAE into the final round of Asian qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Abdulrahman is known for his silky skills, in particular a left foot that has proved capable of unlocking the tightest of defences.

He once had a two week trial for English side Manchester City and also admitted he would like to play in Europe.

“Every player dreams of playing in Europe,” he said. “If I get a good offer, I wouldn’t mind with a good and big club.”

Shinji Okazaki was voted the international player of the year, the award given to those who play in a league outside the AFC, after helping Leicester City on its stunning run to the Premier League title in England.

The Japanese star edged out South Korea’s Son-Heung-min, a fellow English Premier League star, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur.

Women’s player of the year was Caitlin Ford, a former AFC young player of the year. She is the first woman to win both awards.

Ford, who represented the Australian women’s team, the Matildas, at the Rio Olympics, said she was honoured to win — but was surprised.

“I wasn’t really expecting this to be honest,” the Sydney FC forward said after beating out Australian team-mate Lisa De Vanna and China’s Tan Ruyin.

“My winning this trophy reflects on an amazing year for us Matildas. This is for the national team, anyone of whom could easily have been here.”

Australia reached the quarter-finals stage, going out to hosts Brazil on penalties.

Choi Kang-hee of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was awarded top male coach of the year.

The women’s award was won by Chan Yuen-ting of Hong Kong.

The 28-year-old manager of Eastern Sports Club is the first woman to lead a men’s team in a country’s top division to a league championship.

The AFC gave Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou its Diamond of Asia award in recognition of his four-decade involvement in the development of the game.

“The whole African continent is honored by this award,” Hayatou was quoted as saying. “Africa and Asia have similar opportunities and challenges. If we continue to speak with a unified voice we can look into the future together with optimism.”

Meanwhile, AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa confirmed the association’s postponed Extraordinary Congress will go ahead in Bahrain next May, where it will finally elect members for the FIFA council.

The original meeting was postponed in September in protest by AFC members when FIFA disqualified Qatar’s Saoud Al-Mohannadi from standing for election.

Last month, Mohannadi was banned by FIFA for one year for refusing to help in an investigation.

However his name may appear again on the ballot as Sheikh Salman said all Asian football associations will be free to put forward their own candidate for the vote.

“The AFC will not compromise its principles,” he said in a statement.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2016