AFC Men’s Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hassan addressing the media during a press conference after receiving his award at the 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Annual Awards Ceremony in Muscat on Wednesday.
MUSCAT: Asian Player of the Year award winner Abdelkarim Hassan is thrilled to have been named the best player in the continent after a tireless year of key performances.
The 25-year-old Al Sadd left-back on Wednesday edged Kashima Antlers duo Yuma Suzuki and Kento Misao to bag the top Asian honour at a special gathering staged by AFC in the Omani capital.
“I am very happy and proud because it is a big achievement for Qatar football,” Hassan said after receiving the trophy from AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.
“I am very happy with this achievement because it has come at an important point in my career.
“I now return to Qatar as the second player to have won this prestigious award,” the lanky Qatar national team player added.
Hassan’s former Al Sadd team-mate and national team striker Khalfan Ibrahim bagged the same trophy for his solid performances in 2006.
“I take this opportunity to thank my family, my club-mates and my coaches for helping me along in my journey,” he added.
“You see this is a collective effort and you need both hands to clap,” he said.
“When I was nominated for this award, I thought that was a good achievement since I was up against two very good players. But now that I have won the award, I want to work harder to become a better player,” Hassan said.
Hassan said the award is enough motivation for him to get better in the coming years, especially with the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to be hosted in Qatar.
“This award is an incentive for me to give my best in the coming years as I am just 25 now. I have to work harder and I am ready for it,” Hassan said.
“This award also pushes me to prepare well for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will be held in our country,” Hassan said.
“As we continue to prepare a strong squad, I am sure football players in Qatar will also push themselves,” he added.
Hassan spoke highly of former team-mate Nadir Belhadj who now plays for Al Kharaitiyat.
“In my early days I was hugely impressed with the former Brazilian star Roberto Carlos, but honestly I think the early success in my career came after Nadir Belhadj returned from (Algeria’s stint at) the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” Hassan said.
“I thank him for his support because he was a great influence on my personality and career. He helped me become stronger mentally,” Hassan said.
When asked if winning the award would raise expectations at his club, Hassan said: “The pressure is always there. We are human and if we can’t maintain our level of play, we feel pressure. That’s life. Injuries also can happen but if we are strong mentally, then we can cope with the pressure.”
Hassan said his early days spent Eupen, Belgium, helped him settle down quickly when he entered Al Sadd.
