Lee Kang-in, Getty Images October 17, 2025, 08:00

PSG winger Lee Kang-in was recognized as the best Asian footballer of the year at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025. This was reported by the press service of the Asian Football Confederation.

In the fight for the award, the 24-year-old Korean beat Iranian Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos) and Japanese Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad).

Lee Kang-in made 49 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. Together with the Paris club, he won the Champions League, the French championship, the Cup and the Super Cup of the country.

Meanwhile, the Asian Player of the Year award was presented to Al Hilal striker Salem Al-Dawsari, who became the first Saudi to win the award twice.

In the last campaign, 34-year-old Ad-Dawsari played 51 matches, in which he scored 27 goals and provided 18 assists. He became the best assistant in the Saudi Arabian Championship with a record 15 assists.

Australian Newcastle midfielder Alex Badolato was recognized as the best young player of the year.

He became the first Australian to be nominated for this award and, accordingly, the first winner.

The award for the best coach of the year went to Ri Seong-ho, who leads the women’s national team of North Korea under 20.

Under the leadership of Ho, the young woman won the world championship title in Colombia in 2024.

Ri Son became the 28th winner in the category and only the second from North Korea after Choi Kwang-seok in 2006, who also led the U-20 team to victory in the same tournament, making them the first Asian team to win the FIFA women’s tournament.