Al Dawsari’s triumph also marked another milestone for Saudi Arabia and Al Hilal SFC, who now boast the most winners of the prestigious recognition by both Member Association (seven) and club (six), respectively.

“I am grateful to have won this award a second time, and it is all the more special as it comes after a season where I have worked very hard,” said the Al Hilal star.

“I have always said that winning titles with my teammates is better than individual awards, but I feel this particular recognition, in a way, complements the team effort. I want to thank my teammates at both the national team and Al Hilal, as well as the fans, and this award is for all of them.”

Al Dawsari, who turned 34 earlier this year, continues to perform at the peak of his powers, delivering world-class performances for both club and country.

His 10 goals in the AFC Champions League Elite™ saw him finish as the competition’s top scorer, while on the domestic front, his staggering 15 goals and 15 assists earned him the Best Saudi Player recognition — with his assist tally equalling the most ever in a single Saudi Pro League season.

On the global stage, the talismanic West Asian’s brilliance was on full display when he led the Blue Waves to the last eight of the FIFA Club World Cup, surpassing Japan’s Tsukasa Shiotani as the top Asian scorer in the tournament’s history with five goals.

“When I am on the field, I am completely focused and can see or hear nothing else and enjoy performing under such pressure,” said the forward.

“A player must stay motivated and look towards the future instead of glancing backwards and in my case, I have no plans of slowing down and hope this is not the last time that I win this award. I am motivated to keep working hard to develop myself further and have no thoughts on retiring from the game.”

Immortalised in the Kingdom’s footballing legacy for his unforgettable winner against eventual winners Argentina at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Al Dawsari recently crossed 100 international caps and continues to lead by example for the Green Falcons, having captained his nation to qualification for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup and further cementing his status as a national icon.

 

“At this stage in my career, I want to create new records for myself with every game that I play, but my focus is always on the national team and, for now, our performance at the FIFA World Cup,” he said.

 

“While we will take it step by step, focus on performing well in the Group Stage, and take it from there, I want to emphasise that football in Saudi Arabia is improving every day,” he added.