Abu Dhabi: Having fallen short in the ‘greatest match of his career’ the AFC Champions League final, UAE’s beloved superstar footballer and ace Al Ain media Omar Abdul Rahman’s pain hasn’t eased despite being bestowed as Asia’s finest footballing talent.
Abdul Rahman, popularly known as ‘Amoory’ walked away with the AFC Player of the Year trophy in a glittering function at the Emirates Place Hotel on Thursday night was quick to reveal, “No, this award won’t make up for that. My ambition was to win that AFC Champions League. I really wanted to win that.”
The UAE’s ace playmaker was nominated for the continent’s premier individual prize with China’s Wu Lei and Iraq’s Hammadi Ahmad. With this title, Abdul Rahman became the second Emirati player to pocket the prestigious award after Ahmad Khalil bagged it last year. Then too, Abdul Rahman was one of the nominees for the award.
The afro-haired sensation wearing black and white tuxedo collected the gold and silver plated trophy, designed to showcase an open-aired globe centre piece, symbolising the spirit of AFC and the world’s passion for football, from AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
“Last year, I didn’t lose this title as the award went to my brother Ahmed. He deserved it but this year it was my mission to win the AFC title which would have been equivalent to this title. But this trophy is not only for me but for all my colleagues in the Al Ain team, the national team and the support staff,” said the Al Ain captain, whose team was held to a 1-1 draw in the second leg in front of their own fans at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium by Korea Republic’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who claimed the title with a 3-2 aggregate win. And the result deprived Al Ain of a second AFC Champions League to add to the inaugural title the club claimed in 2003.
“According to statistics, it is my best year as an individual but as a team we haven’t won any title and my aim is to win more title for Al Ain and to do well for the national side. This is what I’m looking to achieve next year to make up for all the loss this year,” said the Al Ain captain, who was also adjudged as the 2016 AFC Champions League’s Most Valuable Player, last week.
“UAE won this title for the second time in a row and that shows that we have some good talented players and why not? We should be able to win it for the third time in a row. It might be me again or someone else, why not?” said the 25-year-old.
The women’s Player of the Year award was won by Australia’s Caitlin Foord, who piped her senior compatriot Lisa de Vanna and China’s Tan Ruyin for the top honours.
“I would like to start congratulating Lisa and Ruyin for their exceptional year. I wasn’t expecting this and I like to thank everybody including my mom and my sister. I wouldn’t be here without them. This also reflects what we as Matildas’ have done this year,” said Foord, who walked in to take her award with a heavily plastered left leg following an injury sustained while playing in the W-league in Australia last week.
All Awards: Diamond of Asia Award: The President of the Confederation of African Football Issa Hayatou; Dream Asia Award: Qatar Football Federation; Member Association of the Year: Aspiring: Bhutan Football Federation, Developing: Indian Football Federation, Inspiring: Japan Football Federation; President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football: Developing: Philippine Football Federation, Inspiring: Football Federation Australia, Aspiring: National Football Association on Brunei Dar el Salam; Coach of the Year: Men: Choi Kang-Hee of Hyundai Motors, South Korea; Women: Chan Yuen Ting of Hong Kong; Player of the Year: Men: Omar Abdul Rahman of UAE, Women: Caitlin Foord of Australia.
