AFC Champions League
After reaching a third final in the past four years, players from Al Hilal SFC feature heavily once more, while there are plenty of other star performers from across the continent.
Below are the 11 players voted into the all-star team on the-AFC.com after another memorable edition of Asia’s most prestigious club tournament that saw Urawa Red Diamonds crowned champions for the third time.
GOALKEEPER
Abdullah Al Mayouf – Al Hilal SFC
- 10 appearances, 6 goals conceded
- 5 clean sheets (joint #1 by goalkeepers)
- 81% save percentage
After picking up the vast majority of the votes, Al Hilal’s long-serving goalkeeper Abdullah Al Mayouf takes his place in goal, beating off competition from Urawa’s Shusaku Nishikawa. With five clean sheets over the course of the campaign, no ‘keeper posted more shutouts.
DEFENDERS
Right-back
Saud Abdulhamid – Al Hilal SFC
- 39 duels won
- 21 recoveries
- 80% tackle success rate
Impressive at the back and going forward, Saud Abdulhamid has developed into a mainstay in the Al Hilal side and, at just 23 years of age, there is plenty more to come from the Saudi Arabian international, who finished above the AFC Champions League 2022 MVP Hiroki Sakai, among others, in the voting.
Centre-backs
Ali Al Bulayhi – Al Hilal SFC
- 19 Interceptions (#1 by a defender)
- 51 recoveries (joint #2 by a defender)
- 100% tackle success rate
Yet another representative from Al Hilal, Ali Al Bulayhi gained more votes than any of the other centre-backs as, once again, the man at the heart of the Riyadh side's defence posted statistics that were among the best of his contemporaries.
Alexander Scholz – Urawa Red Diamonds
- 5 clean sheets (joint #1 by a defender)
- 56 recoveries (#1 by a defender)
- 32 possessions won in defensive third (joint #2 by a defender)
Alongside Al Bulayhi in the defence is Urawa’s Danish defender Alexander Scholz who, in his first appearance in the continental competition, proved to be a composed presence in the Saitama side’s backline and became the first person from his country to win the AFC Champions League.
Left-back
Mohammed Al Burayk – Al Hilal SFC
- 2 assists (joint #2 by a defender)
- 10 successful open play crosses (#1 by a defender)
- 16 chances created (#2 by a defender)
Completing the back four in the all-star XI is Al Hilal’s Mohammed Al Burayk who, as ever, proved reliable at the back and a huge threat going forward. The 30-year-old beat off competition from Johor Darul Ta’zim’s La’Vere Corbin-Ong to take the left-back spot.
MIDFIELDERS
Ibrahim Bayesh – Air Force Club
- 49 duels won (#1 by a midfielder)
- 18 dribbles completed (#2 by a midfielder)
- 42 recoveries
Having gained more votes than any other midfielder, Ibrahim Bayesh – an AFC Cup™ winner in 2018 – takes his place in midfield. He won more duels than any of his contemporaries, while also netting a lovely headed goal in a win over Al Jazira in what was his first AFC Champions League campaign.
Nawaf Al Abid – Al Shabab FC
- 5 assists (#2 by a midfielder)
- 15 chances created
- 96 successful passes ending in final third
An AFC Champions League winner with Al Hilal in 2019, Nawaf Al Abid was a creative force for his former side’s Riyadh rivals this time round, with five assists in their run to the quarter-finals helping him cement a place in the midfield after picking up the second-highest number of votes.
Salem Al Dawsari – Al Hilal SFC
- 4 goals (#3 by a midfielder)
- 211 successful passes ending in final third (#2 by a midfielder)
- 24 dribbles completed (#1 by a midfielder)
The MVP from the 2021 edition, Salem Al Dawsari edged out club teammate Salman Al Faraj to claim the last place in the midfield. The Saudi international scored four goals, including in the semi-final and first leg of the final, but was a huge loss in the return meeting after a red card ruled him out.
FORWARDS
Bergson – Johor Darul Ta'zim FC
- 6 goals (joint #3 by a forward)
- 20 total shots
- 34 duels won
Brazilian Bergson amassed 46 percent of the votes as he proved the most popular forward among fans. And he will go down in JDT folklore after netting a fabulous winning goal – one of six in the group stage – against 2020 champions Ulsan Hyundai on route to a maiden Round of 16 appearance.
Zeca – Daegu FC
- 7 goals (joint #2 by a forward)
- 25 total shots (#2 by a forward)
- 14 shots on target (#3 by forward)
Another Brazilian who starred in the early stages was Zeca, who scored seven goals in seven appearances as Daegu made the knockout rounds for the second time. He finished as the joint-second-highest scorer and picked up 29 per cent of the votes.
Odion Ighalo – Al Hilal SFC
- 7 goals (joint #2 by a forward), 1 assist
- 16 shots on target (joint #1 by forward)
- 70% shooting accuracy
And completing the forward line is Al Hilal’s sixth representative, Odion Ighalo. The Nigerian, who collected 18 percent of the votes, finished alongside Zeca in second place in the scoring charts, with his four-goal haul in the 7-0 win over Al Duhail in the semi-finals his undisputable highlight.
Poll ends at 1100 (UTC+8) on June 8.
