SEOUL: South Korean football players Seol Young-woo and Kim Hye-ri have been nominated for the top individual honors at the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Annual Awards. The distinguished event is set to take place next week at the Grand Peace Palace in Kyung Hee University, Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the AFC revealed its list of candidates late Tuesday, highlighting Seol Young-woo’s nomination for the AFC Player of the Year award. Known for his role as a fullback on the South Korean national team, Seol is competing for the accolade against Jordan’s Yazan Al-Naimat and Qatar’s Akram Afif. The AFC commended Seol for his pivotal contributions during the AFC Asian Cup, notably assisting in a crucial equalizer against Saudi Arabia, which led to a victory in penalties. Seol, a native of Ulsan, debuted professionally with Ulsan HD FC in 2020 and played a key role in their consecutive K League 1 titles. He currently plays for Serbian club Crvena zvezda and is the first South Korean to be n
ominated for this award since 2013.
Kim Hye-ri, a 34-year-old defender and captain of the South Korean women’s national team, has been nominated for her outstanding career and leadership. With 126 caps, Kim is the fourth most-capped female player in South Korea. The AFC noted her participation in three FIFA Women’s World Cups, including the 2023 edition co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. She also led the Hyundai Steel Red Angels to their 11th consecutive WK League title in 2023, maintaining an unbroken championship streak since joining in 2014. Kim is in contention for the award alongside Cortnee Vine of Australia and Kiko Seike of Japan.
This marks the 28th iteration of the AFC Annual Awards and the first time the ceremony will be hosted in South Korea.