The shares of Akram Afif, the Annabi star, rose in winning the Best Player in Asia 2025 award, which will be revealed tomorrow, Thursday, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after he excelled in yesterday’s match and led Annabi to victory over the Emirates and to qualify our team for the second time in its history to the 2026 World Cup.
Yesterday, Akram Afif played one of his most beautiful and best matches for Wissall and Jal, and posed an extreme threat to the defense and the Emirati goal.
Akram contributed directly to Annabi’s victory after he set up both of our national team’s goals from two errors, the first coming from the right on the head of Boualem Khoukhi, and the second from the left on the head of Pedro Miguel.
Akram Afif is competing with Saudi Salem Al-Dosari and Malaysian Arif Ayman for the Best Player in Asia 2025 award.
The ceremony will be held at the famous King Fahd Cultural Center, with the participation of a group of the most prominent sports figures and stars who will be crowned in 20 different categories in the twenty-ninth edition of the continental event (formerly known as the AFC Annual Awards).
The ceremony will celebrate the most prominent successes during the 2024-2025 season, which witnessed the launch of an advanced version of the AFC Champions League for the elite and the historic launch of the AFC Champions League for Women.
The ceremony will also highlight the outstanding efforts made by the national and regional member associations of the AFC, in addition to presenting the AFC President’s Award for Excellence, which is being presented for the first time.
The ceremony culminates in the announcement of the winners of the Best Asian Player and Best Female Player awards, with the trio Arif Ayman Hanabi, Akram Afif, and Salem Al-Dosari competing for the title in the men’s category, while the women’s list includes Holly McNamara, Wang Shuang, and Hana Takahachi.
Commander’s badge for Syria
A beautiful gesture made by Akram Afif, the Annabi star, when he received the captain’s armband after Boualem Khoukhi was injured and left the field. He handed the armband to Sebastian Soria, who returned to the Annabi ranks after a long absence, as he is considered one of Annabi’s oldest and oldest players (41 years old). He embraced him, which contributed to raising Syria’s morale.
An overwhelming joy
Yesterday, Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium at Al Sadd Club witnessed an exceptional moment full of emotion and enthusiasm after the final whistle confirmed the qualification of the Qatar national football team to the World Cup finals, causing the stands to explode with unprecedented cheers and joy. The national team players rushed immediately after the whistle, exchanging hugs and congratulations, and some of them raised the Qatari flag to celebrate this historic achievement. The cameras showed tears of joy on their faces, while their voices rose as they chanted in the name of the homeland, in a scene that reflects the spiritual and patriotic cohesion between the team and its fans.
The stands are boiling with joy
The fans were no less enthusiastic, with cheers and patriotic chants rising from every corner of the stadium, with an amazing team reaction to every touch and every goal. Some fans danced happily on their seats, while others raised Qatari flags and hugged each other in hysterical moments of joy.
The joy did not stop at the stadium’s borders, as the atmosphere of celebration spread in the streets of the cities, with cars decorated with national flags, and the sounds of car horns announcing comprehensive crowd joy. Citizens and residents participated in the celebration, turning the city into a moving national painting full of pride and belonging.
Spirit of national unity
What distinguished this joy was the feeling of the fans and players that they were part of a common achievement, and that this qualification was not just a sporting result, but rather a symbol of the unity of the nation and the spirit of belonging that unites all Qataris behind their team.
Joselu: Feeling proud
The Spanish Joselu, the star of Al Gharafa Club, expressed his great joy at the qualification of our national team to the World Cup finals, stressing that this achievement is the result of great efforts and sacrifices from all the players and the technical staff. Joselu said: I would like to congratulate all the national team players and the technical staff on this wonderful achievement. I witnessed firsthand their commitment and fighting spirit in the match, and this qualification is evidence of the great work they put in.
The Spanish player added: The feeling of pride that I feel today is not only for the players, but for every Qatari football fan.
Big celebration at the residence hotel
The Qatar national team experienced a special festive atmosphere inside its residence at the team camp hotel after its historic qualification to the 2026 World Cup finals. The celebration witnessed great joy from the players and the technical staff, as the atmosphere was filled with singing and dancing inside the hotel hall. Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui shared the players’ joy, and appeared dancing amid the applause of the attendees, in a scene that reflects the spirit of one team and the great harmony within Al-Anabi. The stars also celebrated with Qatari flags, chanting national songs, as an expression of their pride in the historic achievement and well-deserved qualification to the World Cup.
Madibo injures Lopetegui
Al-Anabi’s Spanish coach, Lopetegui, suffered a facial injury during the first minutes of the match and the first half, as a result of a ball colliding in his face, causing him to fall to the ground. The blow and the ball came from Assem Madibo’s attempt to scatter the ball, and he shot the ball powerfully, unfortunately colliding with Lopetegui’s face, which fell to the ground, but he quickly rose without any complications.