Saudi Footballer Salem Al-Dawsari Named 2022 AFC Player of the Year

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
TT

Saudi Footballer Salem Al-Dawsari Named 2022 AFC Player of the Year

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa (L) presents Saudi Arabia's forward Salem al-Dawsari with the AFC Player of the Year award during the AFC Annual Awards Doha 2022 on October 31, 2023. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)

Saudi national team player and Al-Hilal SFC winger Salem Al-Dawsari was crowned the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year for 2022 in a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.

Salem has solidified his position as one of the best players in Asia, showcasing his talent on the world stage during his participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored the winning goal for the national team in a 2-1 victory against Argentina, which ultimately became the champions.

He also netted a goal against Mexico, equaling the record for the highest number of goals scored by a Saudi player in World Cup matches with a total of three goals.

Locally, Al-Dawsari was a main contributor to Al-Hilal's triumph in the Saudi Pro League 2021-2022 and the King Cup 2022-2023.



UEFA Bans Barcelona Fans from One Away Game in Champions League

Barcelona's Spanish forward #19 Lamine Yamal reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on September 25, 2024. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
Barcelona's Spanish forward #19 Lamine Yamal reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on September 25, 2024. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
TT

UEFA Bans Barcelona Fans from One Away Game in Champions League

Barcelona's Spanish forward #19 Lamine Yamal reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on September 25, 2024. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
Barcelona's Spanish forward #19 Lamine Yamal reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on September 25, 2024. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)

UEFA banned Barcelona on Friday from selling tickets to fans for its next away game in the Champions League for “racism and/or other discriminatory conduct” during a game at Monaco.
The disciplinary sanction will apply on Nov. 6 when Barcelona plays at Red Star Belgrade, The Associated Press reported.
UEFA did not specify details of the misconduct during a 2-1 loss at Monaco last week in the teams’ opening game in the new format Champions League opening phase.
The ticket sales ban activated a probationary sanction UEFA ordered for Barcelona last season. In April, fans made Nazi salutes at Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League game.
UEFA said its disciplinary judges also fined Barcelona 10,000 euros ($11,000) and ordered a new probationary sanction for a repeat offense in the next year. That will activate another ticket sales ban for one away game in a European competition.