The Qatar Football Association recently held its annual awards ceremony for the 2023-2024 season, where Al Sadd’s Akram Afif was named the Best Player and Al Gharafa’s Pedro Martins received the Best Coach award. The event also saw Minister of Sports and Youth H E Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani being honored with the Order of Achievement award by QFA President Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain. The ceremony, which took place at the Qatar National Convention Center, celebrated the achievements of the top performers in the Qatar Stars League.
One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of late national coach Captain Saeed Al Misnad with the Order of Achievement award for his contributions to the success of local clubs and national teams. Additionally, Al Arabi’s Jassim Jaber was named the Best U-23 Player for his stellar performance in the previous season. The winners were selected based on their outstanding performances in the ESL, with Al Sadd clinching the title in the last edition.
Akram Afif’s exceptional performance for Al Sadd, where he finished as the top scorer with 26 goals and 11 assists, earned him the Best Player award. The 27-year-old credited his success to his teammates, emphasizing that it was a collective effort that led to their triumph in the league. Meanwhile, Pedro Martins, who guided Al Gharafa to a third-place finish, was recognized as the Best Coach, surpassing stiff competition from Wesam Rizk and Leonardo Jardim.
Qatar international Jassim Jaber’s impressive display for Al Arabi landed him the Best U-23 Player award, beating out other talented young players in the league. The voting process for the awards involved football officials, coaches, and media representatives, highlighting the level of talent and competition in the Qatar Stars League. In addition to individual player awards, referees Taleb Salem, Salman Falahi, Saoud Ahmed, and Khamis Al Marri were also honored for their contributions to the season.
The ceremony also saw the Qatar national team players being recognized by various companies and supporters, including QIIB, Qatar Airways, Ooredoo, and Qatar National Bank, for their achievement of winning the AFC Asian Cup for the second consecutive time. Striker Almoez Ali, goalkeeper Meshaal Barshim, Abdulaziz Hatem, and Mohammed Waad were among the players honored at the event, showcasing the depth of talent and success in Qatari football. Overall, the QFA Awards ceremony was a testament to the dedication and skill of Qatar’s football community in the 2023-2024 season.
