UAE’s Omar Abdulrahman named Asian player of 2016

Omar Abdulrahman, arguably Asia’s biggest star, was crowned AFC player of the year in a glittering ceremony in his home country of United Arab Emirates.

The left-sided midfielder and winger is the second Emirati to win the trophy in consecutive years and his award was greeted with a huge cheer in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The victory was even sweeter as he was nominated last year but lost out to compatriot, Ahmed Khalil. But he said the trophy would not make up for his Emirati league side Al Ain losing the Asian Champions League final last month to South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.