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AFC Asian Cup
The 2017 AFC Player of the Year – the first Syria footballer to win the award - combines fluid movement, composure and an eye for goal and remains one of his country’s most influential attacking players.
Factfile:
Age: 32
Caps: 70
Goals: 31
Club: Al Wahda FC (United Arab Emirates)
Age: 32
Caps: 70
Goals: 31
Club: Al Wahda FC (United Arab Emirates)
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The Damascus-born player kicked off his playing career in 2014 with local club Al Wahda SC for both their youth and senior sides before stints in Iraq and the UAE. He was snapped up by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC in 2017.
Khrbin made a total of 79 appearance in all competitions for the Asian giants, finding the back of the net 37 times. This included a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over IR Iran’s Persepolis during the 2017 AFC Champions League™ semi-finals – a tournament where he subsequently emerged the top-scorer with 10 goals.
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With Al Hilal, Khrbin became the first Syria footballer to feature at the FIFA Club World Cup, in 2019, played a part in three Saudi Pro League title wins and their capture of the coveted AFC Champions League trophy in 2019.
In 2021, he joined UAE’s Al Wahda FC and closed his debut season as their top scorer with 15 goals. After being loaned to Shabab Al Ali Club a year later, he returned to Al Wahda for the 2023/24 season and finished as the league’s top scorer with 19 goals.
Trivia
Syria will be making their third consecutive and eighth overall appearance at the AFC Asian Cup, having made their debut in the 1980 edition.
The lanky forward made his national debut in 2012 and since claiming his first AFC Asian Cup™ goal two years later at the 2015 Qualifiers against Jordan, has played a central role in some of the most memorable moments in Syria’s recent history.
Khrbin was instrumental in their historic run at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over India. It not only gave Syria their first Asian Cup win since 2011 but sent them into the knockout stage for the first time.

He also leveled in their subsequent 1-1 Round of 16 tie with IR Iran, only for his side to exit the competition after a 5–3 defeat in the penalty shootout.
Khrbin stayed on form during Syria’s journey to Saudi Arabia, netting a hat-trick as they defeated Myanmar 5-1 in the Qualifiers.
With another Asian Cup campaign on the horizon, Khrbin will once again look to provide the attacking threat that has made him one of the country's standout players.
Photos: AFP, AFC
