Omar Abdulrahman makes Asian Player of the Year shortlist as presumed favourite

John McAuley reports UAE and Al Ain star Omar Abdulrahman was among the three players named candidates for the AFC Asian Player of the Year award on Wednesday.

Omar Abdulrahman celebrates scoring in the Asian Champions League semi-final second leg as Al Ain advanced to the final last month. Karim Jaafar / AFP / October 18, 2016

Omar Abdulrahman is the favourite to be crowned Asian Player of the Year after the UAE and Al Ain playmaker was confirmed on a three-man shortlist for the prize.

The 25-year-old, who as captain has led his club to this month’s Asian Champions League final, has been nominated alongside Iraq’s Hammadi Ahmed and China’s Wu Lei. The awards ceremony takes place in Abu Dhabi on December 1.

However, Abdulrahman is the frontrunner for the title after a string of stellar performances in the Champions League, where he has been voted man of the match eight times in 12 appearances thus far. Al Ain, Asian champions in 2003, take on South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the first match of the two-legged final in Jeonju on November 19.

Already one of the most recognisable footballers on the continent, last year Abdulrahman finished third to compatriot Ahmed Khalil in the player of the year race. The Al Ahli striker, who played a prominent role in his club’s run to the Champions League final, was the first Emirati to be named Asia’s best player.

National teammate Abdulrahman will be up against Iraq international striker Ahmed, who represents Al Quwa Al Jawiya in his homeland, and celebrated Shanghai SIPG winger Wu Lei.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport